一些简单的组合往往有意识不到的意思，如 in the bag，除了“在袋子里”的意思，还有其他意思，类似的还有 on the ball，通常不要把它理解为“在球上”，它有其他的寓意。
Don't start to think we've got this game in the bag, gentlemen. I've seen teams make bigger comebacks than this, so we can't let up.先生们，别以为我们已经十拿九稳了。我见过球队比这更大的复出，所以我们不能松懈。After being 23-16 up at the break, it seemed victory was in the bag for Ponty.在中场休息时以23比16领先之后，对庞蒂来说，胜利似乎是十拿九稳的事。
类似的 on the ball，它用来比喻某人敏锐、机警或警觉等，相当于作形容词时的 alert，例如：If you were on the ball, this wouldn’t have happened.We need someone who’s really on the ball to answer questions from the press.When his opponent tried to sneak in a pass, the defender was right on the ball and stopped it well.当他的对手试图偷袭传球时，后卫非常机警，很好地拦住了球。The mother is glad to know that her son is always on the ball to learn new things in class.母亲很高兴地知道她儿子在课堂上总是乐于对新东西保持敏锐的洞察力。Suddenly he found himself awake and fully alert.
对应于 on the ball 的还有一个短语 have a lot on the ball，用来比喻某人能力很强或很聪明，用于非正式场合，且主要用于美式英语中，例如：I think she has a lot on the ball and would make an excellent senator.I'm so glad that my assistant has a lot on the ball because I'm too scatterbrained to manage my schedule on my own.我很高兴我的助手能力很强，因为我太散漫了，不能自己安排日程。
关于单词 ball 的习语还有很多，常见的有 the ball is in your court 和 get/ set/ start/ keep the ball rolling 等，例如：the ball is in your court 下一步就看你的了：They've offered me the job, so the ball's in my court now.I’ve given them a list of the changes that I think are necessary, so the ball’s in their court now.我已经给了他们一份我认为必要的改变的清单，所以现在就看他们的了。get/set/start/keep the ball rolling 开始做事，继续某事：We have to get the ball rolling on this project soon.I decided to set the ball rolling and got up to dance.I just want enough cash to start the ball rolling.My host had very little to talk about, and it was very difficult to keep the ball rolling.英语学习固然有方法，但是日常点滴的积累是必不可少的，有的时候有画龙点睛之妙，有的时候能让自己游刃有余。
词或词组辨析：
1. let up 意为”放松，减弱，减轻“
2. comeback [ˈkʌmbæk] 意为”复出，重返“
3. scatterbrained [ˈskætəbreɪnd] 意为”散漫的，注意力不集中的“
4. get up to 意为”到达某一点，忙于，从事“等
