In baseball, any pitch at which the batter does not swing, and which, in the opinion of the umpire, is not in the strike zone is called a ball. A batter who receives four balls in an at bat is entitled to a base on balls.
... can have several shades of meaning. At its simplest, it refers to an adherent of a monarch or royal family.
Of the more specific uses of the term, the most commo ...