[f. FOOT sb. + BALL sb.1]
1. An inflated ball used in the game (see 2). It is now either spherical or (in the Rugby game) elliptical, and consists of an inflated bag or bladder enclosed in a leather case.
1486. Bk. St. Albans, Her., E vj a. It is calde in latyn pila pedalis a fotebal.
1508. Barclay, Egloges, v.
| The sturdie plowman lustie, strong and bolde | |
| Ouercommeth the winter with driuing the foote ball, | |
| Forgetting labour and many a greuous fall. |
1650. Baxter, Saints’ R., IV. (1653), 282. Alas, that I must stand by and see the Church, and Cause of Christ, like a Footbal in the midst of a crowd of Boys, tost about in contention from one to another; every one running, and sweating with foolish violence, and laboring the downfal of all that are in his way.
1708. Motteux, Rabelais, IV. vii. (1737), 26. The Bladder, wherewith they make Foot-balls.
1795–1814. Wordsw., Excursion, VII. 743.
| If touched by him, | |
| The inglorious football mounted to the pitch | |
| Of the lark’s flight, or shaped a rainbow curve, | |
| Aloft, in prospect of the shouting field! |
2. An open-air game played with this ball by two sides, each of which endeavors to kick or convey the ball to the goal at the opposite end of the field.
There are various styles of playing the game, but the two most widely recognized are the Association and the Rugby Union games.
1424. Sc. Act Jas. I., c. 18. The king forbiddes þt na man play at þe fut ball vnder þe payne of iiijd.
1531. Elyot, The Boke Named the Gouernour, I. xxvii. Lyke wyse foote balle [be vtterly abiected of all noble men], wherin is nothinge but beastly furie and exstreme violence, wherof procedeth hurte, and consequently rancour and malice do remayn with them that be wounded.
1663. J. Heath, Flagellum; or the Life and Death, Birth and Burial of Oliver Cromwell, the late Usurper (ed. 2), 8. Players at Foot-ball, Cudgels, or any other boysterous sport or game.
1791. W. Bartram, Carolina, 509. The foot-ball is likewise a favorite, manly diversion with them [the Indians]. Feasting and dancing in the square at evening, ends all their games.
1880. Times, 12 Nov., 4/4. Not 15 years back, few men played football after they left school.
3. fig. (esp. a person or thing that is kicked or tossed about like a football).
1532. More, Confut. Tindale, Wks. 416/1. For so he maye translate the worlde in to a footeball yf he ioyne therewith certayn circumstaunces, and saye this rounde rollyng footeball that men walke vpon and shippes sayle vppon, in the people wherof ther is no rest nor stabilitie.
c. 1600[?]. Distr. Emperor, II. i., in Bullen, O. Pl., III. 186.
| Orl. I am the verye foote-ball of the starres, | |
| Th’ anottomye [sic] of fortune whom she dyssects | |
| With all the poysons and sharpe corrosyves | |
| Stylld in the lymbecke of damde pollycie. |
1711. Lett. to Sacheverel, 14. England must always have a National Football, and you, at present, are That.
1879. Froude, Cæsar, v. 231. The Commonwealth of the Scipios, the laws and institutions of the mistress of the civilised world, had become the football of ruffians.
4. attrib. and Comb., as football-club, -day, -match, -play, -player, -playing, † -sport, † -swain, -union, -war.
1815. in Hone, Every-Day Bk., I. 245. The coachman exclaimed to one of the passengers, ‘It’s *Foot-ball day.’
1887. Shearman, Athletics & Football, 247. Shrove Tuesday, which there is abundant material to show was afterwards the great ‘football day’ in England for centuries.
1711. Budgell, Spect., No. 161, 4 Sept., ¶ 3. I was diverted from a further Observation of these Combatants, by a *Foot-ball Match which was on the other Side of the Green.
1589. Cogan, Haven Health, i. (1612), 2. Some [exercises] are vehement, as dauncing, leaping, *foote ball play.
1805. Scott, Last Minstr., V. vi.
| With dice and draughts some chased the day; | |
| And some, with many a merry shout, | |
| In riot, revelry, and rout, | |
| Pursued the foot-ball play. |
1605. Shaks., Lear, I. iv. 95. Ste. Ile not be strucken my Lord. Kent. Nor tript neither, you base *Foot-ball plaier.
1583. Stubbes, Anat. Abus., I. (1879), 137. Some spend the Sabaoth day (for the most part) in … *foot-ball playing, and such other deuilish pastimes.
1589. Greene, Menaphon, Wks. (Grosart), VI. 137.
| Ah leaue my toe, and kisse my lippes, my loue, | |
| My lips are thine, for I haue giuen them thee: | |
| Within thy cap tis thou shalt weare my gloue, | |
| At *foote ball sport, thou shalt my champion be. |
1653. Walton, Angler, i. 35.
| Where, for some sturdy *foot-ball Swain, | |
| Jone strokes a Sillibub or twaine. |
1714. Gay, Trivia, II. 225.
| Here oft’ my Course I bend, when lo! from far, | |
| I spy the Furies of the *Foot-ball War. |
