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In response to
"balls out definition: 1 often vulgar : all-out, full-out. 2 often vulgar : boldly aggressive or competitive."
by
con_carne
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IIRC, the phrase "balls out" originated with the centrifugal governors of early steam engines.
Posted by
howie (aka howie)
May 25 '21, 20:00
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As the internal pressure of a steam engine rose, it spun a pair of metal balls. The faster the balls spun, the more the centrifugal force moved the balls further out from the pivot point. If the steam pressure got dangerously high, the balls went to their extreme distance, triggering a relief valve to lower the pressure. So the phrase "balls out" or "balls to the walls" referred to running a steam engine dangerously fast.
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