pass the ball

Meaning

Literally, it means to kick, throw, or hit a ball to a teammate during a game. Figuratively, it can also mean sharing responsibility or giving someone else a turn to take action in a group project.

Examples

• You need to pass the ball instead of trying to score every time.

  You need to pass the ball instead of trying to score every time.

• He passed the ball to his teammate, who easily scored the winning goal.

  He passed the ball to his teammate, who easily scored the winning goal.

• Pass the ball over here, I'm completely open!

  Pass the ball over here, I'm completely open!

• In basketball, learning when to pass the ball is just as important as shooting.

  In basketball, learning when to pass the ball is just as important as shooting.

• The coach yelled at the players to keep their eyes up and pass the ball quickly.

  The coach yelled at the players to keep their eyes up and pass the ball quickly.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ Give the ball to me by throwing it.

  ✓ Pass the ball to me.

  While 'give the ball' is grammatically correct, 'pass the ball' is the standard, natural collocation used in sports.

• ✗ He passed the ball at me.

  ✓ He passed the ball to me.

  We pass the ball 'to' someone, not 'at' them. Using 'at' implies throwing it aggressively to hit them.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Don't be selfish, you have to ___ to other players!

  💡 Share the ball with teammates

  Show answer

  pass the ball

• He managed to ___ right through the defender's legs.

  💡 Send the ball to a teammate

  Show answer

  pass the ball