bɔːl ɪz ɪn jɔr kɔrt
Sports
neutral
beginner
- Literally:
- The ball in a tennis game is on your side of the court
What does "ball is in your court" mean?
- It's your turn to take action or make a decision
- The responsibility for the next move is yours
Examples
- I've made my offer—the ball is in your court now.
- We've done everything we can; the ball is in their court.
- I apologized for everything; the ball is in her court.
Origin
From tennis, where the player whose side of the court contains the ball must hit it next. The metaphor was first used figuratively in the early 20th century.
How to use it
Very common in negotiations and relationship discussions. Emphasizes that someone else must take the next step.
Similar expressions
your move
your turn
over to you
Opposites
my responsibility
in my hands
Related idioms
- no pain no gain
Success requires hard work and sacrifice
- like riding a bicycle
A skill that, once learned, is never forgotten
- drop the ball
To fail to do something important; to make a mistake
- level playing field
A situation where everyone has an equal opportunity
- on the ball
Alert and competent
- jump the gun
To act prematurely or before the proper time
Use it in a practice answer
Try "ball is in your court" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.