Spherical objects used in games and sports; also slang for courage or boldness. Can refer to formal social dancing events.
From Old Norse 'bollr' meaning 'ball' or 'sphere.' The courage sense developed from vulgar slang, while the dancing sense comes from Latin 'ballare' (to dance), a different etymological path entirely.
It's remarkable that 'balls' meaning courage and 'balls' meaning dance parties come from completely different roots - Old Norse for the sphere, Latin for dancing. English just happened to use the same spelling for these unrelated concepts.
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