beanball: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowInformal, Sports
Quick answer
What does “beanball” mean?
A pitch in baseball intentionally thrown at a batter's head.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A pitch in baseball intentionally thrown at a batter's head.
Any deliberately aggressive or dangerous act in sports, or metaphorically in other contexts, intended to intimidate or harm.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is specific to baseball, a sport predominantly played and discussed in North America. It is rarely, if ever, used in British English outside of discussions about American baseball.
Connotations
Identical negative connotations in both dialects when used, but the term itself is fundamentally American.
Frequency
Virtually non-existent in British English. Common in American English within baseball reporting and commentary.
Grammar
How to Use “beanball” in a Sentence
[Pitcher] threw a beanball at [Batter].The game was tense after the beanball.He was ejected for a beanball.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “beanball” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The pitcher was accused of trying to beanball the opposition's star player.
American English
- He got ejected for beanballing the rookie in the ninth inning.
adjective
British English
- The match was marred by a beanball controversy.
American English
- Tensions were high after the beanball incident.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Metaphorically used to describe an aggressive, hostile business tactic intended to intimidate a competitor.
Academic
Rare. Might appear in sports sociology or ethics papers discussing violence in sport.
Everyday
Used when discussing baseball games, especially controversial incidents.
Technical
Specific term in baseball commentary, journalism, and rulebooks.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “beanball”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “beanball”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “beanball”
- Using it to describe any pitch that hits a batter (it implies intent).
- Using it in contexts completely unrelated to baseball or physical confrontation.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
While throwing at a batter is against the rules, proving intent is difficult. Pitchers are often ejected for beanballs deemed intentional by the umpire.
A brushback pitch is thrown inside to move the batter off the plate, not necessarily to hit them. A beanball is specifically aimed at the head with intent to hit or intimidate.
Yes, but only metaphorically. For example, in politics, a harsh personal attack might be called a 'verbal beanball'.
'Bean' is early 20th-century American slang for the head, likely from the resemblance of the head to a bean's shape.
A pitch in baseball intentionally thrown at a batter's head.
Beanball is usually informal, sports in register.
Beanball: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbiːnbɔːl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbinˌbɔl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The beanball war escalated between the two teams.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a bean (slang for head) and a ball. A ball thrown at the bean = a beanball.
Conceptual Metaphor
AGGRESSION IS PROJECTILE WEAPONRY (throwing a dangerous object at a person).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary implication of a 'beanball'?