ball-breakern.
/ˈbɔːlbreɪkə/, U.S. /ˈbɔlˌbreɪkər/, /ˈbɑlˌbreɪkər/ slang (originally U.S.).
1. A difficult, boring, or exasperating job, problem, or situation.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > difficulty > [noun] > that which is difficult > a difficult matter
business1827
sod1940
cruncher1947
ball-breaker1950
nutcracker1960
1950 E. R. Stuart Objector 16 I got a ball breaker on my hands.
1973 F. Haring Perfect Stranger 135 You can't believe what I've been through. And then today, a real ball-breaker.
2001 T. O'Farrell Behind Enemy Lines xvii. 204 What do you do to occupy yourself when not on duty?..Whatever, it was a real ball-breaker as far as morale went and dangerous too as people began to slacken off.
2. A person who sets difficult work or problems; a hard taskmaster.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > strictness > [noun] > exactingness > exacting person
exacter1561
exactora1620
ball-breaker1950
society > occupation and work > worker > workers according to status > [noun] > overseer or foreman > taskmaster > exacting hard work
strapping-master1851
Simon Legree1857
ball-breaker1950
1950 H. E. Goldin Dict. Amer. Underworld Lingo 22 Ball-breaker, a strict disciplinarian; a slave-driver.
1970 N. Armstrong et al. First on Moon iii. 57 The quality control inspector is a sort of nitpicker. We're the ball breakers, in plain English. We're the most unwanted people.
2007 Daily Tel. (Nexis) 24 Feb. (City section) 34 ‘Nick's a perfectionist ball-breaker,’ says one of his LA team.
3. A dominating or threatening woman, one who destroys the self-confidence of a man.
ΘΚΠ
the world > people > person > woman > [noun] > dominating woman
ball-buster1954
ball-breaker1962
1962 B. Moore Answer from Limbo 133 As she led them into the bathroom she heard Dr. Lupus' voice. ‘I'm talking about the woman who takes over the breadwinner's role in fact or fantasy. The competing, aggressive type.’ ‘In other words, a ball breaker,’ Gallery said.
1975 D. Lodge Changing Places v. 213 Désirée is a ball-breaker. She eats men like your husband for breakfast.
1977 I. Shaw Beggarman, Thief i. vii. 94 Tom told me about that wife of his. A real ball-breaker, isn't she?
1985 Company Dec. 60/2 They [sc. women] are now reaching senior positions..where their arrival is creating new male horror stories about aggressive ball-breakers.
2007 Times (Nexis) 10 Feb. (Features, Knowledge section) 14 Women were black widow spiders, ball-breakers... They spelt doom!
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2008; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.1950