{"id":202,"date":"2021-11-24T20:01:35","date_gmt":"2021-11-24T20:01:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/?p=202"},"modified":"2021-11-24T20:01:35","modified_gmt":"2021-11-24T20:01:35","slug":"ballpark-figure-meaning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/ballpark-figure-meaning\/","title":{"rendered":"Ballpark Figure - Meaning, Origin and Usage"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Are you asking a contractor for a rough estimate on the costs of repairing or renovating your home? You could ask them to give you a \"<strong><em>ballpark figure<\/em><\/strong>\" over the phone to get an idea of what you need to loan from the bank for the project.<\/p>\n<p>This post looks at the origins and meaning of the phrase \"<em>ballpark figure<\/em>.\" We'll also give you examples of how to use this idiom in a conversation.<\/p>\n<h2>Ballpark Figure Meaning<\/h2>\n<p>A ballpark figure means to give someone a rough estimate. You could be estimating everything from the size of a baseball stadium to betting odds or a quote on a new swimming pool for your yard. The term ballpark figure applies to many different situations, and it's a common phrase used in modern language \u2013 you probably use it yourself.<\/p>\n<p>The phrase is an adaptation of the earlier \"<em>in the ballpark<\/em>,\" also used to ask someone for an estimate of a specific number or price in the ballpark. The phrase is also slang or colloquial saying, and it applies more to informal than formal settings.<\/p>\n<p>If you ask someone for a \"<em>ballpark figure<\/em>\" on building you a garage at home, then you're asking them for a rough estimate on the costs of the work. You are not asking them to commit to a firm price; you're just trying to clarify the expenses because you have no idea what to expect.<\/p>\n<h2>Ballpark Figure Example Usage<\/h2>\n<p>\"I need that estimate right now; give me a <em>ballpark figure<\/em>.\"<\/p>\n<p>\"I need that estimate right now; <em>ballpark it<\/em>.\"<\/p>\n<p>\"I need that quote right now; give me a <em>ballpark estimate<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\"How big do you think the room is? Give me a <em>ballpark figure<\/em>.\"<\/p>\n<p>\"How long do you think we have to drive to get from Florida to North Carolina? What's a <em>ballpark number<\/em>?\"<\/p>\n<p>\"Give me a <em>ballpark figure<\/em> for the value of your car.\"<\/p>\n<p>\"What's your weight? Give me a <em>ballpark figure<\/em>.\"<\/p>\n<h2>Ballpark Figure Origin<\/h2>\n<p>So, where does the phrase \"<em>ballpark figure<\/em>\" come from? Strangely, the meaning of the term is for a general estimate, but baseball is a sport driven by accurate statistics and record keeping. Anyhow, the first use of \"<em>ballpark figure<\/em>\" goes back to around 1962.<\/p>\n<p>William Safire quotes lexicographer Stuart Flexner on its evolution in the book \"<em>I Stand Corrected<\/em>.\" He states the following: \"Our Random House dictionary citation files show the term first started as in the ballpark (1962), as when talking about figures, estimates, etc., with \"I hope that's <em>in the ballpark<\/em>.' Then, in 1968, we first recorded ballpark figure from The Seattle Times.\"<\/p>\n<p>Etymonline offers us the following explanation. \"Figurative sense of \"acceptable range of approximation\" first recorded 1960, originally referring to area within which a spacecraft was expected to return to the earth; the reference is too broad but reasonably predictable dimensions.\"<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Business English 07\/50: Ballpark figure !\" width=\"512\" height=\"288\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/xtTfSnA32R8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2>Phrases Similar to Ballpark Figure<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>A rough estimate.<\/li>\n<li>A rough figure.<\/li>\n<li>Thumbsuck a number.<\/li>\n<li>Wild guess.<\/li>\n<li>Your best guess.<\/li>\n<li>Give me a number.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Phrases Opposite to Ballpark Figure<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>I need a transparent estimate.<\/li>\n<li>I need an accurate number.<\/li>\n<li>I need it down to the cent.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>What is the Correct Saying?<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Ballpark figure.<\/li>\n<li>Ballpark estimate.<\/li>\n<li>Ballpark quote.<\/li>\n<li>Ballpark it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Ways People May Say Ballpark Figure Incorrectly<\/h2>\n<p>People may use \"<em>ballpark figure<\/em>\" inaccurately and in the wrong context. Using a \"<em>ballpark figure<\/em>\" in the board room during a presentation would probably give an impression of inaccuracy or uncertainty.<\/p>\n<h2>Acceptable Ways to Phrase Ballpark Figure<\/h2>\n<p>You can use \"<em>ballpark figure<\/em>\" in social and professional situations but not in a formal conversation. So, if you're with your boss and chatting privately, using the language would be appropriate.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p class=\"mb-2\">Are you asking a contractor for a rough estimate on the costs of repairing or renovating your home? You could ask them to give you a \"ballpark figure\" over the phone to get an idea of what you need to loan from the bank for the project. This post looks at the origins and meaning [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/202"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=202"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/202\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":209,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/202\/revisions\/209"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=202"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=202"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=202"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}