Word Meanings - BALANCE - Book Publishers vocabulary database

A balance wheel, as of a watch, or clock. See Balance wheel (in the Vocabulary). The constellation Libra. The seventh sign in the Zodiac, called Libra, which the sun enters at the equinox in September. 8. A movement in dancing. See Balance, v. i.,

Additional info about word: BALANCE

A balance wheel, as of a watch, or clock. See Balance wheel (in the Vocabulary). The constellation Libra. The seventh sign in the Zodiac, called Libra, which the sun enters at the equinox in September. 8. A movement in dancing. See Balance, v. i., S. Balance electrometer, a kind of balance, with a poised beam, which indicates, by weights suspended from one arm, the mutual attraction of oppositely electrified surfaces. Knight. -- Balance fish. See Hammerhead. -- Balance knife, a carving or table knife the handle of which overbalances the blade, and so keeps it from contact with the table. -- Balance of power. , such an adjustment of power among sovereign states that no one state is in a position to interfere with the independence of the others; international equilibrium; also, the ability to control the relations between sovereign states or between dominant parties in a state. -- Balance sheet , a paper showing the balances of the open accounts of a business, the debit and credit balances footing up equally, if the system of accounts be complete and the balances correctly taken. -- Balance thermometer, a thermometer mounted as a balance so that the movement of the mercurial column changes the indication of the tube. With the aid of electrical or mechanical devices adapted to it, it is used for the automatic regulation of the temperature of rooms warmed artificially, and as a fire alarm. -- Balance of torsion. See Torsion Balance. -- Balance of trade , an equilibrium between the money values of the exports and imports of a country; or more commonly, the amount required on one side or the other to make such an equilibrium. -- Balance valve, a valve whose surfaces are so arranged that the fluid pressure tending to seat, and that tending to unseat the valve, are nearly in equilibrium; esp., a puppet valve which is made to operate easily by the admission of steam to both sides. See Puppet valve. -- Hydrostatic balance. See under Hydrostatic. -- To lay in balance, to put up as a pledge or security. Chaucer. -- To strike a balance, to find out the difference between the debit and credit sides of an account. (more info) 1. An apparatus for weighing. Note: In its simplest form, a balance consists of a beam or lever supported exactly in the middle, having two scales or basins of equal weight suspended from its extremities. Another form is that of the Roman balance, our steelyard, consisting of a lever or beam, suspended near one of its extremities, on the longer arm of which a counterpoise slides. The name is also given to other forms of apparatus for weighing bodies, as to the combinations of levers making up platform scales; and even to devices for weighing by the elasticity of a spring. 2. Act of weighing mentally; comparison; estimate. A fair balance of the advantages on either side. Atterbury. 3. Equipoise between the weights in opposite scales. 4. The state of being in equipoise; equilibrium; even adjustment; steadiness. And hung a bottle on each side To make his balance true. Cowper. The order and balance of the country were destroyed. Buckle. English workmen completely lose their balance. J. S. Mill. 5. An equality between the sums total of the two sides of an account; as, to bring one's accounts to a balance; -- also, the excess on either side; as, the balance of an account. " A balance at the banker's. " Thackeray. I still think the balance of probabilities leans towards the account given in the text. J. Peile.

Possible synonyms: (Same meaning words of BALANCE)

• Calculation
• Estimation
• consideration
• balance
• apportionment
• investigation
• reckoning
• computation
• anticipation
• forethought
• regard
• circumspection
• watchfulness
• vigilance
• caution
• care
• Commute
• Alter
• mitigate
• substitute
• exchange
• compensate
• barter
• equalize
• modify
• Counterpoise Balance
• Mean
• Medium
• moderation
• average
• Remainder
• Rest
• residue
• remnant
• surplus
• leavings
• relics
• difference

Possible antonyms: (opposite words of BALANCE)

• Miss
• overlook
• disregard
• despise
• dislike
• contemn
• hate
• loathe
• misconsider
• misconceive
• misestimate
• misjudge

Related words: (words related to BALANCE)

• DISREGARDFULLY
  Negligently; heedlessly.
• CAUTIONARY BLOCK
  A block in which two or more trains are permitted to travel, under restrictions imposed by a caution card or the like.
• MODIFY
  1. To change somewhat the form or qualities of; to alter somewhat; as, to modify a contrivance adapted to some mechanical purpose; to modify the terms of a contract. 2. To limit or reduce in extent or degree; to moderate; to qualify; to lower.
• MISJUDGE
  To judge erroneously or unjustly; to err in judgment; to misconstrue.
• SURPLUS
  1. That which remains when use or need is satisfied, or when a limit is reached; excess; overplus. 2. Specifically, an amount in the public treasury at any time greater than is required for the ordinary purposes of the government.
• INVESTIGATION
  The act of investigating; the process of inquiring into or following up; research; study; inquiry, esp. patient or thorough inquiry or examination; as, the investigations of the philosopher and the mathematician; the investigations of the judge,
• RECKON
  reckon, G. rechnen, OHG. rahnjan), and to E. reck, rake an implement; the original sense probably being, to bring together, count together. 1. To count; to enumerate; to number; also, to compute; to calculate. The priest shall reckon to him the
• RECKONER
  One who reckons or computes; also, a book of calculation, tables, etc., to assist in reckoning. Reckoners without their host must reckon twice. Camden.
• ALTERNATING CURRENT
  A current which periodically changes or reverses its direction of flow.
• ALTERNATION
  Permutation. 3. The response of the congregation speaking alternately with the minister. Mason. Alternation of generation. See under Generation. (more info) 1. The reciprocal succession of things in time or place; the act of following and being
• EQUALIZER
  One who, or that which, equalizes anything.
• EXCHANGE EDITOR
  An editor who inspects, and culls from, periodicals, or exchanges, for his own publication.
• COMPUTATION
  1. The act or process of computing; calculation; reckoning. By just computation of the time. Shak. By a computation backward from ourselves. Bacon. 2. The result of computation; the amount computed. Syn. -- Reckoning; calculation; estimate;
• AVERAGE
  That service which a tenant owed his lord, to be done by the work beasts of the tenant, as the carriage of wheat, turf, etc. 2. Etym: A tariff or duty on goods, etc. Any charge in addition to the regular charge for freight of goods shipped.
• DISLIKE
  1. To regard with dislike or aversion; to disapprove; to disrelish. Every nation dislikes an impost. Johnson. 2. To awaken dislike in; to displease. "Disliking countenance." Marston. "It dislikes me." Shak.
• ALTERNAT
  A usage, among diplomats, of rotation in precedence among representatives of equal rank, sometimes determined by lot and at other times in regular order. The practice obtains in the signing of treaties and conventions between nations.
• ALTERATION
  1. The act of altering or making different. Alteration, though it be from worse to better, hath in it incoveniences. Hooker. 2. The state of being altered; a change made in the form or nature of a thing; changed condition. Ere long might perceive
• FORETHOUGHT
  Thought of, or planned, beforehand; aforethought; prepense; hence, deliberate. "Forethought malice." Bacon.
• BARTER
  To traffic or trade, by exchanging one commodity for another, in distinction from a sale and purchase, in which money is paid for the commodities transferred; to truck. (more info) fr. Gr. to do, deal , use practices or tricks, or perh.
• CONTEMNER
  One who contemns; a despiser; a scorner. "Contemners of the gods." South.
• SUBALTERNANT
  A universal proposition. See Subaltern, 2. Whately.
• FALTER
  To thrash in the chaff; also, to cleanse or sift, as barley. Halliwell.
• MISCOMPUTATION
  Erroneous computation; false reckoning.
• MISALTER
  To alter wrongly; esp., to alter for the worse. Bp. Hall.
• REEXCHANGE
  To exchange anew; to reverse .
• REAPPORTIONMENT
  A second or a new apportionment.
• INCONSIDERATION
  Want of due consideration; inattention to consequences; inconsiderateness. Blindness of mind, inconsideration, precipitation. Jer. Taylor. Not gross, willful, deliberate, crimes; but rather the effects of inconsideration. Sharp.
• PRECAUTION
  praecautum, to guard against beforehand; prae before + cavere be on 1. Previous caution or care; caution previously employed to prevent mischief or secure good; as, his life was saved by precaution. They treasured up their supposed discoveries