Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Ballast
Bal′last
(băl′last)
, Noun.
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.
2.
To keep any thing steady, by counterbalancing its force.Definition 2024
Ballast
ballast
ballast
See also: Ballast
English
Noun
ballast (usually uncountable, plural ballasts)
- (nautical) Heavy material that is placed in the hold of a ship (or in the gondola of a balloon), to provide stability.
- (figuratively) Anything that steadies emotion or the mind.
- Coarse gravel or similar material laid to form a bed for roads or railroads, or in making concrete.
- (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.
- (countable, electronics) device used for stabilizing current in an electric circuit (e.g.in a tube lamp supply circuit)
- (figuratively) That which gives, or helps to maintain, uprightness, steadiness, and security.
- Barrow
- It [piety] is the right ballast of prosperity.
- Barrow
-
Ballast provides a supporting bed for rail tracks
-
Several typical styles of magnetic ballasts for fluorescent lamps
Derived terms
Translations
heavy material placed in the hold of a vessel
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material laid to form a bed for a road
electronics
Verb
ballast (third-person singular simple present ballasts, present participle ballasting, simple past and past participle ballasted)
Translations
to stabilize a ship with ballast
|
to lay ballast on the bed of a railway track
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French
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ba.last/
Noun
ballast m (plural ballasts)
- (nautical) Heavy material that is placed in the hold of a ship (or in the gondola of a balloon), to provide stability.
- 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)
References
- “ballast” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
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)
References
- “ballast” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.