*balance*

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Balanced p. pr. & vb. n. Balancing ] [ From Balance, n.: cf. F. balancer. ] 1. To bring to an equipoise, as the scales of a balance by adjusting the weights; to weigh in a balance. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To support on a narrow base, so as to keep from falling; as, to balance a plate on the end of a cane; to balance one's self on a tight rope. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To equal in number, weight, force, or proportion; to counterpoise, counterbalance, counteract, or neutralize. [ 1913 Webster ]

One expression . . . must check and balance another. Kent. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To compare in relative force, importance, value, etc.; to estimate. [ 1913 Webster ]

Balance the good and evil of things. L'Estrange. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To settle and adjust, as an account; to make two accounts equal by paying the difference between them. [ 1913 Webster ]

I am very well satisfied that it is not in my power to balance accounts with my Maker. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. To make the sums of the debits and credits of an account equal; -- said of an item; as, this payment, or credit, balances the account. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. To arrange accounts in such a way that the sum total of the debits is equal to the sum total of the credits; as, to balance a set of books. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. (Dancing) To move toward, and then back from, reciprocally; as, to balance partners. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. (Naut.) To contract, as a sail, into a narrower compass; as, to balance the boom mainsail. [ 1913 Webster ]

Balanced valve. See Balance valve, under Balance, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To poise; weigh; adjust; counteract; neutralize; equalize. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To have equal weight on each side; to be in equipoise; as, the scales balance. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To fluctuate between motives which appear of equal force; to waver; to hesitate. [ 1913 Webster ]

He would not balance or err in the determination of his choice. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Dancing) To move toward a person or couple, and then back. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Such as can be balanced. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. being in a state of proper balance or equilibrium; -- opposite of unbalanced. the carefully balanced seesaw a properly balanced symphony orchestra a balanced assessment of intellectual and cultural history a balanced blend of whiskeys the educated man shows a balanced development of all his powers [ Narrower terms: counterbalanced, counter-balanced, counterpoised; well-balanced; poised ] [ Related terms: stable --- (maintaining equilibrium) ] [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. The act or result of balancing or adjusting; equipoise; even adjustment of forces. [ R. ] Darwin. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who balances, or uses a balance. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) In Diptera, the rudimentary posterior wing. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Naut.) The last reef in a fore-and-aft sail, taken to steady the ship. [ 1913 Webster ]

1. (Horology) (a) A wheel which regulates the beats or pulses of a watch or chronometer, answering to the pendulum of a clock; -- often called simply a balance. (b) A ratchet-shaped scape wheel, which in some watches is acted upon by the axis of the balance wheel proper (in those watches called a balance). [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Mach.) A wheel which imparts regularity to the movements of any engine or machine; a fly wheel. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A weight, power, or agency, acting against or balancing another; as: (a) A mass of metal in one side of a driving wheel or fly wheel, to balance the weight of a crank pin, etc., on the opposite side of the wheel. (b) A counterpoise to balance the weight of anything, as of a drawbridge or a scale beam. [ 1913 Webster ]

Money is the counterbalance to all other things purchasable by it. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Counterbalanced p. pr. & vb. n. Counterbalancing. ] To oppose with an equal weight or power; to counteract the power or effect of; to countervail; to equiponderate; to balance. [ 1913 Webster ]

The remaining air was not able to counterbalance the mercurial cylinder. Boyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

The study of mind is necessary to counterbalance and correct the influence of the study of nature. Sir W. Hamilton. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. brought into equipoise by means of a weight or force that offsets another.
Syn. -- counterpoised. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Equi- + balance. ] Equal weight; equiponderance. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Equibalanced p. pr. & vb. n. Equibalancing ] To make of equal weight; to balance equally; to counterbalance; to equiponderate. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To outweight; to exceed in weight or effect. [ 1913 Webster ]

Let dull Ajax bear away my right
When all his days outbalance this one night. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To exceed equality with; to outweigh. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To cause to lose balance or equilibrium. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Excess of weight or value; something more than an equivalent; as, an overbalance of exports. J. Edwards. [ 1913 Webster ]

. (Bookkeeping) The testing of a ledger to discover whether the debits and credits balance, by finding whether the sum of the personal credits increased by the difference between the debit and credit sums in the merchandise and other impersonal accounts equals the sum of personal debits. The equality would not show that the items were all correctly posted. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. [ In senses 1 and 2, pref. un- not + balanced; in sense 3, 1st pref. un- + balance. ] 1. Not balanced; not in equipoise; having no counterpoise, or having insufficient counterpoise. [ 1913 Webster ]

Let Earth unbalanced from her orbit fly. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Com.) Not adjusted; not settled; not brought to an equality of debt and credit; as, an unbalanced account; unbalanced books. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Being, or being thrown, out of equilibrium; hence, disordered or deranged in sense; unsteady; unsound; as, an unbalanced mind. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]