English

Noun

ball of fire ‎(plural balls of fire)

1. (idiomatic) A person who is especially hard-working, high-achieving, ambitious, or active.
   • 1910, Rex Ellingwood Beach, Going Some: A Romance of Strenuous Affection, ch. 16:

     "I wonder how fast this feller is? Ever heard?"

     "They seem to think he's a whirlin' ball of fire, but that don't worry you none, does it?"

   • 1981, Jim Brosnan, "Keith Hernandez on the Rocky Road to Cooperstown," Boys' Life, vol. 71, no. 9, p. 36:

     Despite Kennedy's glowing tribute, Hernandez was no ball of fire his first year as a pro.

   • 1994, M. Scott Peck, A World Waiting to Be Born: Civility Rediscovered, ISBN 9780553373172, p. 198:

     "[T]ell me what you can about her supervisor," I requested.

     "Woman in her mid-fifties. No ball of fire. She's been with the company for twenty-two years and demonstrated no desire to climb any further."

   • 2008, Frank L. Hicks Jr., Invisible Bridges, ISBN 9781435735743, p. 203:

     "He really knows how to make a woman feel good. He's a ball of fire in bed."

Usage notes

• Often used in the expression "no ball of fire".

Synonyms

• go-getter