Ball and chain

A ball and chain is a physical restraint device historically used on prisoners.

Ball and chain may also refer to:

• a physical restraint consisting of a large, heavy metal ball with a chain attached to a prisoner's leg by a manacle.
• a significant other, usually pejoratively, derived from the reference above
• Flail (weapon), a medieval weapon with a spiked ball attached to a handle by a chain
• Ball & Chain, a 2004 romantic comedy written by Thomas Mortimer
• "I Love You Like A Ball and Chain", a song by Eurythmics from their album Be Yourself Tonight, released: May 1985
• "Ball and Chain" (Social Distortion song), a 1990 song by Social Distortion from their album Social Distortion
• "Ball and Chain" (Big Mama Thornton song), a song by Big Mama Thornton, covered by Janis Joplin and Big Brother and the Holding Company
• "The Ball and Chain", a single by house music producer Romanthony
• "Ball and Chain", a song by Colin Moulding with XTC
• "Ball and Chain" (Elton John song), a song by Elton John from his 1982 album Jump Up!, also released as a single
• "Ball and Chain", a song by the band Sublime
• "Ball and Chain", a song by Poison from their 1990 album Flesh and Blood
• "Lucky Ball and Chain", a song by They Might Be Giants from their 1990 album Flood
• "Ball and Chain", a song by Murder by Death from their album Red of Tooth and Claw
• "Ball 'n' Chain", a song by Big Mama Thornton and notably covered by Janis Joplin
• Panasonic Ball and Chain Radio, a novelty radio first produced by Panasonic in the early 1970s that is no longer in production