BALL, in the Military Art, comprehends all sorts of bullets for fire-arms, from the cannon to the pistol. Cannon-balls are of iron; musket-balls, pistol-balls, &c. are of lead. The experiment has been tried of iron balls for pistols and fuses; but they are justly rejected, not only on account of their lightness, which prevents them from flying straight, but because they are apt to furrow the barrel of the pistol, &c.
BALL of a Pendulum, the weight at the bottom. In shorter pendulums this is called the bob.