1. To muddle, confuse, or ruin something. A noun or pronoun can be used between "ball" and "up." Boy, I really balled up the directions—where are we? Here are the items I need from the grocery store—don't ball it up!

2. To roll or form into a ball. I balled up my clothes and threw them in the hamper.

3. To cause someone to become confused or flummoxed. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "ball" and "up." Missing the last page of the directions really balled me up—that's why I'm late.

1. adjective, rude slang Horribly awry to the point of complete ruin or disaster. Mary's Monday morning routine went balls up when she spilled coffee on herself, missed the train, and arrived to work late.

2. noun, rude slang A blunder that causes disastrous results; a mess-up. Usually hyphenated. The balls-up with the code has put the entire software platform in jeopardy.