Wiktionary
dead ball
n. (context ball games English) The ball when dead and out of play.
Wikipedia
Dead ball
Dead ball is a term in many ball sports in which the ball is deemed temporarily not playable, and no movement may be made with it or the players from their respective positions of significance. Depending on the sport, this event may be quite routine, and often occurs between individual plays of the game.
Usage examples of "dead ball".
The crowd roared its approval as the ball boy scurried across the court to scoop up the dead ball.
He clutched the dark, seemingly dead ball of the Talisman in his other hand.
Callahan doesn't know the difference between a dead ball and a free ball.