Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

ball and chain

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.50 in modern English

Syllables: bal-l and chain
IPA

20

Scrabble Score

12

Letters

2

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A heavy iron ball attached to a prisoner's leg by a chain as a means of restraint.

noun

One's spouse, especially a wife, as a symbol of restraint.

Derogatory; Slang

noun

Anything that restricts one's freedom or opportunities.

Example Sentences

"In those days a prisoner here had to carry his ball and chain when he was walking to the chow hall."
"Well, I got one foot on the platform / The other foot on the train / I'm goin' back to New Orleans / To wear that ball and chain"
"Take away this ball and chain"
"Near-synonyms: other half (neutral valence), better half (positive valence)"
"I'll have to ask the old ball and chain and get back to you."
"His boss turned his conscientiousness into a ball and chain by giving him all the hard jobs."

Usage

Inflected Forms

balls and chains (plural)

Frequently Paired Words

shackle manacle

Synonyms

other half better half

Questions

What does ball and chain mean?: A heavy iron ball attached to a prisoner's leg by a chain as a means of restraint.

How to pronounce ball and chain

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “ball and chain”.
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