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ballgame

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a (whole) new ballgame

A situation that is completely different from what one is used to or expecting. Living away from home is a whole new ballgame for most young adults. I used to babysit, but having a child of my own is a new ballgame.

See also: ballgame, new

a totally different ballgame

A situation that is completely different from what one is used to or expecting. Living away from home is a totally different ballgame for most young adults. I used to babysit, but having a child of my own is a totally different ballgame.

See also: ballgame, different, totally

a (whole) new ballgame

a completely different situation The teenage world is a whole new ballgame for most parents.

Related vocabulary: a different ball of wax

See also: ballgame, new

whole new ballgame, a

A completely altered situation, as in It will take a year to reassign the staff, and by then some will have quit and we'll have a whole new ballgame . This expression comes from baseball, where it signifies a complete turn of events, as when the team that was ahead falls behind. [Colloquial; 1960s]

See also: new, whole