cup and ball

A child plays with a cup and ball toy in the park.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A traditional game: "cup and ball" refers to a simple toy or game consisting of a cup (or a hollow container) attached to a string, with a ball at the other end. The objective is to swing the ball and catch it in the cup.
   • A plaything for skill: It is also known as a "bilboquet" or "ball-and-cup" toy, often used for hand-eye coordination practice or amusement.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The child spent hours trying to master the cup and ball, but the ball kept missing the cup. (A traditional game where the player attempts to catch a ball in a cup.)
  • At the fair, there was a booth where people could try the cup and ball for a small fee. (A simple toy used for amusement.)

Advanced Usage

• "to play cup and ball": to engage in the activity of attempting to catch the ball in the cup.
  • She taught her younger brother how to play cup and ball during the long car ride. (She demonstrated the game to occupy his time.)

Variants and Related Words

• Bilboquet (n): another name for the cup-and-ball toy, often used in French contexts.

  • The bilboquet was a popular toy in 18th-century France. (A synonym for cup and ball.)

• Catch-the-ball (n): a descriptive term for the same game.

  • Catch-the-ball is a simpler name for the cup-and-ball toy. (An alternative name.)

Synonyms

• Ball-and-cup: a direct synonym, referring to the same toy.
• Bilboquet: a technical or historical term for the game.

Related Idioms

• Catch and cup: a rare idiomatic expression meaning to successfully achieve a difficult task.
  • He managed to catch and cup the deal at the last moment. (He succeeded in securing the agreement, akin to catching the ball in the cup.)

Note: There are no common phrasal verbs or extensive idiomatic expressions specifically for "cup and ball" as a standalone phrase.