Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Ballast

Bal′last

(băl′last)
,
Noun.
[D.
ballast
; akin to Dan.
baglast
,
ballast
, OSw.
barlast
, Sw.
ballast
. The first part is perh. the same word as E.
bare
, adj.; the second is
last
a burden, and hence the meaning
a bare
, or
mere
,
load
. See
Bare
,
Adj.
, and
Last
load.]
1.
(Naut.)
Any heavy substance, as stone, iron, etc., put into the hold to sink a vessel in the water to such a depth as to prevent capsizing.
2.
Any heavy matter put into the car of a balloon to give it steadiness.
3.
Gravel, broken stone, etc., laid in the bed of a railroad to make it firm and solid.
4.
The larger solids, as broken stone or gravel, used in making concrete.
5.
Fig.: That which gives, or helps to maintain, uprightness, steadiness, and security.
It [piety] is the right
ballast
of prosperity.
Barrow.
Ballast engine
,
a steam engine used in excavating and for digging and raising stones and gravel for ballast.
Ship in ballast
,
a ship carrying only ballast.

Bal′last

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Ballasted
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Ballasting
.]
1.
To steady, as a vessel, by putting heavy substances in the hold.
2.
To fill in, as the bed of a railroad, with gravel, stone, etc., in order to make it firm and solid.
3.
To keep steady; to steady, morally.
’T is charity must
ballast
the heart.
Hammond.

Webster 1828 Edition


Ballast

BAL'LAST

, n.
1.
Heavy matter, as stone, sand or iron, laid on the bottom of a ship or other vessel, to sink it in the water, to such a depth, as to enable it to carry sufficient sail, without oversetting.
Shingle ballast is ballast of coarse gravel.
2.
Figuratively, that which is used to make a thing steady.

BAL'LAST

,
Verb.
T.
To place heavy substances on the bottom of a ship or vessel, to keep it from oversetting.
2.
To keep any thing steady, by counterbalancing its force.

Definition 2024


Ballast

Ballast

See also: ballast

German

Noun

Ballast m (genitive Ballastes, plural Ballaste)

  1. (nautical or figuratively) ballast

Declension

ballast

ballast

See also: Ballast

English

Noun

ballast (usually uncountable, plural ballasts)

  1. (nautical) Heavy material that is placed in the hold of a ship (or in the gondola of a balloon), to provide stability.
  2. (figuratively) Anything that steadies emotion or the mind.
  3. Coarse gravel or similar material laid to form a bed for roads or railroads, or in making concrete.
  4. (construction) A material, such as aggregate or precast concrete pavers, which employs its mass and the force of gravity to hold single-ply roof membranes in place.
  5. (countable, electronics) device used for stabilizing current in an electric circuit (e.g.in a tube lamp supply circuit)
  6. (figuratively) That which gives, or helps to maintain, uprightness, steadiness, and security.
    • Barrow
      It [piety] is the right ballast of prosperity.

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

ballast (third-person singular simple present ballasts, present participle ballasting, simple past and past participle ballasted)

  1. To stabilize or load a ship with ballast.
  2. To lay ballast on the bed of a railroad track.

Translations


French

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ba.last/

Noun

ballast m (plural ballasts)

  1. (nautical) Heavy material that is placed in the hold of a ship (or in the gondola of a balloon), to provide stability.
  2. Coarse gravel or similar material laid to form a bed for roads or railroads.

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Middle Low German barlast

Noun

ballast m (definite singular ballasten, indefinite plural ballaster, definite plural ballastene)

  1. ballast
    • Jeg var i fin form, men hadde 4kg for mye ballast ombord!

References


Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Middle Low German barlast

Noun

ballast m (definite singular ballasten, indefinite plural ballastar, definite plural ballastane)
ballast f (definite singular ballasta, indefinite plural ballaster, definite plural ballastene)

  1. ballast

References


Swedish

Adjective

ballast

  1. superlative predicative form of ball.