Get the ball rolling Neutral

To start an activity or process, especially one that will involve other people or continue through several stages.

The idiom draws on the visible movement of a ball: once it starts rolling, its motion can continue and prompt further action. Similar images occur in games where one initial move sets play in progress. The English phrase became an everyday metaphor for initiating meetings, plans, negotiations and projects. Its emphasis is not on completing the work but on making the first move that allows subsequent steps. Although the ball image is simple, it should not be assigned to a particular sport without documentary evidence; the broader idea of setting an object in motion is sufficient to explain the figurative meaning.

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