balance

1. 1

   A state in which opposing forces harmonise; equilibrium.uncountable

   • But civilized man is quite a different animal, and when he wipes out an entire city or levels a forest, he is no longer working within the natural balance of things.
2. 2

   Mental equilibrium; mental health; calmness, a state of remaining clear-headed and unperturbed.uncountable

3. 3

   Something of equal weight used to provide equilibrium; counterweight.countablefigurativelyliterally

   • These weights are used as a balance for the overhanging verandah.
   • Blair thought he could provide a useful balance to Bush's policies.
4. 4

   A pair of scales.countableuncountable

5. 5

   Awareness of both viewpoints or matters; neutrality; rationality; objectivity.uncountable

6. 6

   The overall result of conflicting forces, opinions etc.; the influence which ultimately "weighs" more than others.uncountable

   • The balance of power finally lay with the Royalist forces.
   • I think the balance of opinion is that we should get out while we're ahead.
7. 7

   Apparent harmony in art (between differing colours, sounds, etc.).uncountable

8. 8

   A list accounting for the debits on one side, and for the credits on the other.countableuncountable

9. 9

   The result of such a procedure; the difference between credit and debit of an account.countableuncountable

   • I just need to nip to a bank and check my balance.
10. 10

    A device used to regulate the speed of a watch, clock etc.countableuncountable

ant. nonequilibrium · imbalance · unbalance · bias · favor · favour · partiality · partisanship

1. 1

   To bring (items) to an equipoise, as the scales of a balance by adjusting the weights.transitive

2. 2

   To bring (items) to an equipoise, as the scales of a balance by adjusting the weights.; To move while remaining balanced on a narrow or precarious support (e.g., a wire, ledge or rope).intransitivereflexivetransitive

   • She balanced along the wire while the crowd watched in rapt attention.
   • They must balance themselves down the fence until they reach the end.
3. 3

   To make (concepts) agree.figurativelytransitive

   • the Proteus Principle helps to qualify and balance the concepts of narrators and of narrative situations as previously developed in classical studies by G erard Genette and Franz Stanzel.
4. 4

   To hold (an object or objects) precariously; to support on a narrow base, so as to keep from falling.transitive

   • I balanced my mug of coffee on my knee.
   • The circus performer balances a plate on the end of a baton.
5. 5

   To compare in relative force, importance, value, etc.; to estimate.transitive

   • Ballance the Good and Evil of Things.
   • Mr. Morrison's ruling to reopen the station as a shelter was given after he had balanced the relative dangers of flooding and bombing.
6. 6

   To move toward, and then back from, reciprocally.transitive

   • to balance partners
7. 7

   To contract, as a sail, into a narrower compass.transitive

   • to balance the boom mainsail
8. 8

   To make the credits and debits of (an account) correspond.transitive

   • to balance a set of books
   • This final payment, or credit, balances the account.
9. 9

   To be in equilibrium.intransitive

10. 10

    To have matching credits and debits.intransitive

syn. balance · counterbalance · equilibrate · equilibrize · equipoise · poise

ant. disequilibrate · overbalance · overpoise · unbalance · misbalance · fall over · lose one's balance