jump ball
Originating from basketball, a 'jump ball' is also used metaphorically in various contexts to describe situations of equal competition or uncertainty.
Definition
B2Basketball
(technical, sports)A method to start or resume play where the referee throws the ball into the air between two players who jump to gain possession.
Example
- The game began with a jump ball at center court.
- After the dispute, the referee called for a jump ball to settle the possession.
C1General
(metaphor)A situation where the outcome is uncertain and could go either way.
Example
- The election is a jump ball, with both candidates having equal chances.
- It's a jump ball whether the project will succeed or fail.
C2Finance
(technical, business)A deal where no single trading house has exclusivity, meaning all firms compete equally.
Example
- The IPO was a jump ball, with several firms vying for a piece of the action.
- In a jump ball scenario, the stock could go either way depending on market conditions.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "jump ball":
ball upgame ballball downreturn ballair balljump aboutnew ballball offplay balljump uplong ballfly ballon the jumphoop jumperball outno ballfree ballsquare balljump aroundcaptain balldouble jumpball returnbounce aroundwhite balladvance the balljump boxtoss upground ballballs upplain balljump cutfrog jumpfree throwred ballpump and jumpcage ball