| ball and chain | |
| —n | |
| 1. | (formerly) a heavy iron ball attached to a chain and fastened to a prisoner |
| 2. | a heavy restraint |
| 3. | slang a wife |
| a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison. |
| a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare. |