B - Page 314
ball bearinged adj. You have drunk enough to roll smoothly through every conversation, changing direction at each contact. Chenise was ball bearinged, gliding from the darts board to the fruit machine without warning. ball boyed adj. Of a drinker: retrieving stray glasses from the playing area and returning them to whoever claims them. Oladimeji went ball boyed, collecting abandoned pints from beneath the high tables. ball cactused adj. Describing a drinker who has become round, prickly and difficult to approach at the bar. Sumire was ball cactused in the corner, bristling whenever anyone mentioned going home. ball capped adj. A drinker so far gone that headwear assumes athletic authority while the wearer loses the means to locate home. Carriana became ball capped and attempted to coach the taxi queue into better fielding. ball carriered adj. A drinker who carries the football of the conversation through every tackle and interruption. Rogelio was ball carriered, shouldering the discussion from the bar to the smoking shelter. ball chained adj. The state of being drunk and tethered to one conversation, table or unattended pint. Ualani was ball chained to the corner table and could not be persuaded towards the taxi. ball changed adj. The condition of a drinker who transfers weight twice and calls the result dancing. Camilia was ball changed beneath the jukebox, stepping back and forward without progress. ball clayed adj. The drunkenness of one who has settled into a dense, workable lump beside the fire. ball clickered adj. Softened by drink into a series of small clicks, each signalling temporary certainty. ball clubbed adj. You have drunk enough to behave like an entire team, each limb pursuing a separate play. Sorsha went ball clubbed towards the stairs, with both arms attempting different defensive formations. ball cocked adj. Of a drinker who has filled beyond sensible capacity and now rises and falls by uncertain levels. Lazarick was ball cocked beside the lavatory, waiting for his internal gauge to settle. ball ferned adj. Sharpened by drink into a spreading, delicate presence that occupies the available corners. Joaolucas was ball ferned around the settle, fronding into every spare bit of conversation. ball fielded adj. Having drunk more than a baseball playing field can reasonably contain, and treating its boundaries as advisory. Waunetta was ball fielded, patrolling the buffet as though awaiting the first pitch. ball flowered adj. Loosened by drink into a decorative flourish, with every gesture opening around a central pint. Martica was ball flowered by supper, making an ornament of reaching for the salt. ball gagged adj. Having drunk enough to regard silence as a dignified restraint, particularly when asked to explain the evening. Charee was ball gagged by midnight and communicated chiefly through ceremonial nods. ball gamed (/ˈbɔːl ˌɡeɪmd/) adj. You are drunk and pursuing every loose object across the room as though national honours depended on it. Mylik became ball gamed and chased an orange beneath three tables.