balance
Etymology
Translations
This text is extracted from the Wiktionary and it is available under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license | Terms and conditions | Privacy policy 0.006
Etymology
From Middle English balaunce, from Old French balance, from Late Latin *bilancia, from (accusative form of) Latin bilanx, from bi- + lanx ("plate, scale").
Pronunciation- IPA: /ˈbæləns/
balance
- (uncountable) A state in which opposing forces harmonise; equilibrium.
- (uncountable) Mental equilibrium; mental health; calmness, a state of remaining clear-headed and unperturbed.
- (literally or figuratively) Something of equal weight used to provide equilibrium; counterweight.
- These weights are used as a balance for the overhanging verandah.
- Blair thought he could provide a useful balance to Bush's policies.
- A pair of scales.
- (uncountable) Awareness of both viewpoints or matters; neutrality; rationality; objectivity.
- (uncountable) The overall result of conflicting forces, opinions etc.; the influence which ultimately "weighs" more than others.
- 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.
- (uncountable) Apparent harmony in art (between differing colours, sounds, etc.).
- (accounting) A list accounting for the debits on one side, and for the credits on the other.
- (accounting) The result of such a procedure; the difference between credit and debit of an account.
- I just need to nip to a bank and check my balance.
- (watchmaking) A device used to regulate the speed of a watch, clock etc.
- (legal, business) The remainder.
- The balance of the agreement remains in effect.
- The invoice said he had only paid $50. The balance was $220.
- (obsolete, astrology) Libra.
- (scales) pair of scales, set of scales, scales, weighing machine, weighbridge (for vehicles)
- (equilibrium) equilibrium
- (support for both viewpoints) disinterest, even-handedness, fairness, impartiality, neutrality, nonpartisanship
- (list of credits and debits) account
- (antonym(s) of “equilibrium”): nonequilibrium, imbalance, unbalance
- (antonym(s) of “support for both viewpoints”): bias, favor/favour, partiality, partisanship, prejudice, unfairness
- Italian: equilibrio, punto di equilibrio
- Russian: гармо́ния
- French: contrepoids
- Italian: contrappeso, bilanciamento
- Russian: противовес
- German: Ausgewogenheit
- Italian: neutralità
- Portuguese: equilíbrio
- Russian: сбаланси́рованность
- Spanish: equilibrio
- Italian: equilibrio
- French: équilibre
- Italian: equilibrio
- French: solde
- German: Bilanz, Saldo, Guthaben
- Italian: bilancio
- Portuguese: balanço
- Russian: бала́нс
- Spanish: balance
- French: balancier
- Italian: bilanciere
- Russian: балансир
- German: Rest, Restbetrag (money)
balance (balances, present participle balancing; simple past and past participle balanced)
- (transitive) To bring (items) to an equipoise, as the scales of a balance by adjusting the weights.
- (transitive, figurative) To make (concepts) agree.
- 2014, Peter Melville Logan, Olakunle George, Susan Hegeman, The Encyclopedia of the Novel'
- 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.
- 2014, Peter Melville Logan, Olakunle George, Susan Hegeman, The Encyclopedia of the Novel'
- (transitive) To hold (an object or objects) precariously; to support on a narrow base, so as to keep from falling.
- I balanced my mug of coffee on my knee.
- The circus performer balances a plate on the end of a baton.
- (transitive) To compare in relative force, importance, value, etc.; to estimate.
- 1692, Roger L'Estrange, “ (please specify the fable number.) (please specify the name of the fable.)”, in Fables, of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists: […], London: […] R[ichard] Sare, […], →OCLC ↗:
- Ballance the Good and Evil of Things.
- (transitive, dancing) To move toward, and then back from, reciprocally.
- to balance partners
- (nautical) To contract, as a sail, into a narrower compass.
- to balance the boom mainsail
- (transitive) To make the credits and debits of (an account) correspond.
- This final payment, or credit, balances the account.
- to balance a set of books
- 1712 December 10 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison; Richard Steele et al.], “SATURDAY, November 29, 1712”, in The Spectator, number 549; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume VI, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC ↗:
- I am very well satisfied that it is not in my power to balance accounts with my Maker.
- The spelling has been modernized.
- (intransitive) To be in equilibrium.
- (intransitive) To have matching credits and debits.
- (transitive, obsolete) To weigh in a balance.
- (intransitive, obsolete) To hesitate or fluctuate.
Conjugation of balance
infinitive | (to) balance | ||
---|---|---|---|
present tense | past tense | ||
1st-person singular | balance | balanced | |
2nd-person singular | balance, balancest† | balanced, balancedst† | |
3rd-person singular | balances, balanceth† | balanced | |
plural | balance | ||
subjunctive | balance | balanced | |
imperative | balance | — | |
participles | balancing | balanced |
†Archaic or obsolete.
- German: balancieren
- Italian: bilanciare
- Portuguese: equilibrar
- Russian: уравнове́шивать
- Spanish: balancear
- German: ausgleichen
- Italian: bilanciare, equivalere, coniugare
- Portuguese: equilibrar
- Russian: уравнове́шивать
- German: balancieren, im Gleichgewicht halten
- Italian: tenere in equilibrio, bilanciare
- Portuguese: equilibrar
- Spanish: equilibrar
- French: apurer
- German: bilanzieren
- Italian: conguagliare, pareggiare
- Portuguese: balancear
- Spanish: hacer balance
- Portuguese: equilibrar
This text is extracted from the Wiktionary and it is available under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license | Terms and conditions | Privacy policy 0.006
