Etymology

line-ball

Today it means: Of a decision, result, etc.: Very close or finely balanced; having the potential to go either way. Full definition →

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The story

The term line ball is used in various sports to describe a situation where a ball touches a boundary line, often requiring a difficult decision by an official to determine whether the ball is in or out. See Line call on WikipediaWikipedia .

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.