1620s, "act of gathering into a ball or mass," from Late Latin conglomerationem (nominative conglomeratio), noun of action from past participle stem of Latin conglomerare "to roll together, concentrate, heap up," from assimilated form of com "with, together" (see con-) + glomerare "to gather into a ball, collect," from glomus (genitive glomeris) "a ball, ball-shaped mass," possibly from PIE *glem- (see glebe). Meaning "that which is conglomerated" is from 1650s.

"eccentric or unconventional person," 1948, American English colloquial, from odd + ball (n.1). Earlier (1946) as an adjective, used by aviators. The phrase appears earlier in descriptions of modified pin-ball type games (1937) as an extra ball to be played as a bonus.

"to put in an impossible position, to balk (someone)," by 1915 in a general sense, from a specific use attested by 1889 in the billiard-table game of snooker (n.):

One of the great amusements of this game is, by accuracy in strength, to place the white ball so close behind a pool ball that the next player cannot hit a pyramid ball, he being "snookered" from all of them. If he fail to strike a pyramid ball, this failure counts one to the adversary. If, however, in attempting to strike a pyramid ball off a cushion, he strike a pool ball, his adversary is credited with as many points as the pool ball that is struck would count if pocketed by rule. [Maj.-Gen. A.W. Drayson, "The Art of Practical Billiards for Amateurs," 1889]

Related: Snookered; snookering.

"ground meat rolled up into a small ball," 1801, from meat + ball (n.1). As an insult to a person, by 1941.

"spherical, like or resembling a sphere," early 15c., "large and formless," from Latin globosus "round as a ball," from globus "round mass, sphere, ball" (see globe (n.)). Related: Globosity.

kind of pudding in Jewish cookery, 1846, from Yiddish kugel, literally "ball," from Middle High German kugel "ball, globe" (see cog (n.)).

1896, from volley (n.) in the sporting sense + ball (n.1). So called because the ball must be returned before it hits the ground.

"pregnant," 1942, British slang, from pregnant (adj.1) + ending as in bonkers, crackers, starkers. This seems to be an expanded version of -er (3), the suffix used to make jocular or familiar formations from common or proper names (as in rugger for rugby, and soccer).

also ball-room, "a room designed or set aside for dancing parties," 1724, from ball (n.2) + room (n.). Ballroom dancing is attested by 1872.

early 13c., "act of holding;" mid-15c. as "that which is held," verbal noun of hold (v.). Old English healding meant "keeping, observance." As a football (soccer) penalty, from 1866. Meaning "property held," especially stock shares, is from 1570s. Holding operation is from 1942.