keep the ball rolling
English Meaning & Definitions
To maintain the momentum of an activity or process that has already begun, ensuring it continues without interruption.
- “We've had a very productive morning, so let's keep the ball rolling and finish the report before lunch.”
- “The host asked a few follow-up questions to keep the ball rolling during the awkward silence.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
English Antonyms & Opposites
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “keep the ball rolling”.
The idiom originated in the early 19th century, likely derived from the physical act of rolling a large snowball or a ball in a game. By keeping the ball in motion, one prevents it from stopping, which serves as a metaphor for maintaining the momentum of an ongoing process, conversation, or project.
Imagine a giant snowball rolling down a hill; if you stop pushing it, it stops moving. You must keep pushing to keep the ball rolling.
Frequently Asked Questions About “keep the ball rolling”
1. What is the meaning of “keep the ball rolling” in English?
In English, keep the ball rolling (idiom) is defined as: “To maintain the momentum of an activity or process that has already begun, ensuring it continues without interruption.”.
2. How do you use “keep the ball rolling” in a sentence?
“We've had a very productive morning, so let's keep the ball rolling and finish the report before lunch.”
3. What are English synonyms of “keep the ball rolling”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “keep the ball rolling”?
The idiom originated in the early 19th century, likely derived from the physical act of rolling a large snowball or a ball in a game. By keeping the ball in motion, one prevents it from stopping, which serves as a metaphor for maintaining the momentum of an ongoing process, conversation, or project.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →A measurement of time indicating an instantaneous occurrence or a state where no time has elapsed.
The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.