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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

call balls and strikes en · VERB

Pronunciation

Meanings

  1. (US) To act as a home plate umpire.
    • The San Rafael Pacifics and Vallejo Admirals, two independent (not major league-affiliated) minor league teams, recently played two games using a computer system, rather than the home plate umpire, to call balls and strikes. 2015 August 10, Alex Shultz, “Rise of the machines? Baseball weighs use of automated strike zone”, in LA Times:
  2. (US, broadly) To act impartially.
    • Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot said Thursday she wants and expects Inspector General Joe Ferguson to “call balls and strikes” during her administration and sees no reason their friendship would conflict with his role as a city watchdog. 2019 May 13, Fran Spielman, “Watchdog should stay, call ‘balls and strikes’ despite our friendship: Lightfoot”, in Chicago Sun-Times:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
called balls and strikes Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
called balls and strikes Tense=Past lexicographic
calling balls and strikes Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
calls balls and strikes Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic