BALANCE

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does Balance mean? 

• BALANCE (noun)
  The noun BALANCE has 12 senses:

1. a state of equilibrium

2. equality between the totals of the credit and debit sides of an account

3. harmonious arrangement or relation of parts or elements within a whole (as in a design)

4. equality of distribution

5. something left after other parts have been taken away

6. the difference between the totals of the credit and debit sides of an account

7. (astrology) a person who is born while the sun is in Libra

8. the seventh sign of the zodiac; the sun is in this sign from about September 23 to October 22

9. (mathematics) an attribute of a shape or relation; exact reflection of form on opposite sides of a dividing line or plane

10. a weight that balances another weight

11. a wheel that regulates the rate of movement in a machine; especially a wheel oscillating against the hairspring of a timepiece to regulate its beat

12. a scale for weighing; depends on pull of gravity

  Familiarity information: BALANCE used as a noun is familiar.

• BALANCE (verb)
  The verb BALANCE has 4 senses:

1. bring into balance or equilibrium

2. compute credits and debits of an account

3. hold or carry in equilibrium

4. be in equilibrium

  Familiarity information: BALANCE used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BALANCE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A state of equilibrium

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Hypernyms ("balance" is a kind of...):

equilibrium (a stable situation in which forces cancel one another)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "balance"):

tension (a balance between and interplay of opposing elements or tendencies (especially in art or literature))

electrolyte balance (an equilibrium between the amounts of electrolytes (as calcium and sodium and potassium) that is essential for normal health and functioning)

nitrogen balance (the balance between the amount of nitrogen taken in (to the soil or the body) and the amount given off (lost or excreted))

Antonym:

imbalance (a lack of balance or state of disequilibrium)

Derivation:

balance (hold or carry in equilibrium)

balance (bring into balance or equilibrium)

balance (be in equilibrium)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Equality between the totals of the credit and debit sides of an account

Classified under:

Nouns denoting possession and transfer of possession

Hypernyms ("balance" is a kind of...):

equality (the quality of being the same in quantity or measure or value or status)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "balance"):

trial balance (a balance of debits and credits in double-entry bookkeeping; drawn up to test their equality)

Holonyms ("balance" is a part of...):

account; account statement; accounting (a statement of recent transactions and the resulting balance)

Derivation:

balance (compute credits and debits of an account)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Harmonious arrangement or relation of parts or elements within a whole (as in a design)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

balance; proportion; proportionality

Context example:

in all perfectly beautiful objects there is found the opposition of one part to another and a reciprocal balance

Hypernyms ("balance" is a kind of...):

arrangement; placement (the spatial property of the way in which something is placed)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Equality of distribution

Classified under:

Nouns denoting two and three dimensional shapes

Synonyms:

balance; counterbalance; equilibrium; equipoise

Hypernyms ("balance" is a kind of...):

construction; structure (a thing constructed; a complex entity constructed of many parts)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "balance"):

conformation (a symmetrical arrangement of the parts of a thing)

proportion; symmetry (balance among the parts of something)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Something left after other parts have been taken away

Classified under:

Nouns denoting relations between people or things or ideas

Synonyms:

balance; remainder; residual; residue; residuum; rest

Context example:

he took what he wanted and I got the balance

Hypernyms ("balance" is a kind of...):

component; component part; constituent; part; portion (something determined in relation to something that includes it)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "balance"):

leftover; remnant (a small part or portion that remains after the main part no longer exists)

Sense 6

Meaning:

The difference between the totals of the credit and debit sides of an account

Classified under:

Nouns denoting possession and transfer of possession

Hypernyms ("balance" is a kind of...):

difference; remainder (the number that remains after subtraction; the number that when added to the subtrahend gives the minuend)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "balance"):

carry-forward; carry-over (the accumulated and undivided profits of a corporation after provision has been made for dividends and reserves)

invisible balance (the difference in value over a period of time of a country's imports and exports of services and payments of property incomes)

compensating balance; offsetting balance (a minimum credit balance that a bank may require a borrower to keep on deposit as a condition for granting a loan; a common requirement for establishing a line of credit at a bank)

balance of trade; trade balance; trade gap; visible balance (the difference in value over a period of time of a country's imports and exports of merchandise)

Sense 7

Meaning:

(astrology) a person who is born while the sun is in Libra

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

Balance; Libra

Hypernyms ("Balance" is a kind of...):

individual; mortal; person; somebody; someone; soul (a human being)

Domain category:

astrology; star divination (a pseudoscience claiming divination by the positions of the planets and sun and moon)

Sense 8

Meaning:

The seventh sign of the zodiac; the sun is in this sign from about September 23 to October 22

Classified under:

Nouns denoting spatial position

Synonyms:

Balance; Libra; Libra the Balance; Libra the Scales

Instance hypernyms:

house; mansion; planetary house; sign; sign of the zodiac; star sign ((astrology) one of 12 equal areas into which the zodiac is divided)

Sense 9

Meaning:

(mathematics) an attribute of a shape or relation; exact reflection of form on opposite sides of a dividing line or plane

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

balance; correspondence; symmetricalness; symmetry

Hypernyms ("balance" is a kind of...):

spatial property; spatiality (any property relating to or occupying space)

Domain category:

math; mathematics; maths (a science (or group of related sciences) dealing with the logic of quantity and shape and arrangement)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "balance"):

geometrical regularity; regularity (a property of polygons: the property of having equal sides and equal angles)

bilateral symmetry; bilateralism; bilaterality (the property of being symmetrical about a vertical plane)

radial symmetry (the property of symmetry about an axis)

Sense 10

Meaning:

A weight that balances another weight

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

balance; counterbalance; counterpoise; counterweight; equaliser; equalizer

Hypernyms ("balance" is a kind of...):

weight (an artifact that is heavy)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "balance"):

sash weight (a counterweight for a sliding sash)

tare ((chemical analysis) a counterweight used in chemical analysis; consists of an empty container that counterbalances the weight of the container holding chemicals)

Sense 11

Meaning:

A wheel that regulates the rate of movement in a machine; especially a wheel oscillating against the hairspring of a timepiece to regulate its beat

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

balance; balance wheel

Hypernyms ("balance" is a kind of...):

wheel (a simple machine consisting of a circular frame with spokes (or a solid disc) that can rotate on a shaft or axle (as in vehicles or other machines))

Holonyms ("balance" is a part of...):

horologe; timekeeper; timepiece (a measuring instrument or device for keeping time)

Sense 12

Meaning:

A scale for weighing; depends on pull of gravity

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("balance" is a kind of...):

scale; weighing machine (a measuring instrument for weighing; shows amount of mass)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "balance"):

electronic balance (a balance that generates a current proportional to the displacement of the pan)

microbalance (balance for weighing very small objects)

spring balance; spring scale (a balance that measure weight by the tension on a helical spring)

beam scale; lever scale; steelyard (a portable balance consisting of a pivoted bar with arms of unequal length)

beam balance (a balance consisting of a lever with two equal arms and a pan suspended from each arm)

• BALANCE (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Bring into balance or equilibrium

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

balance; equilibrate; equilibrise; equilibrize

Context example:

balance the two weights

Hypernyms (to "balance" is one way to...):

fit; match (make correspond or harmonize)

Verb group:

balance; poise (hold or carry in equilibrium)

balance (be in equilibrium)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "balance"):

complement (make complete or perfect; supply what is wanting or form the complement to)

compensate; correct; counterbalance; even off; even out; even up; make up (adjust for)

cancel; offset; set off (make up for)

countervail; offset (compensate for or counterbalance)

trim (balance in flight by regulating the control surfaces)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Antonym:

unbalance (throw out of balance or equilibrium)

Derivation:

balance (a state of equilibrium)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Compute credits and debits of an account

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Hypernyms (to "balance" is one way to...):

account; calculate (keep an account of)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

balance (equality between the totals of the credit and debit sides of an account)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Hold or carry in equilibrium

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

balance; poise

Hypernyms (to "balance" is one way to...):

bear; carry; hold (support or hold in a certain manner)

Verb group:

balance; equilibrate; equilibrise; equilibrize (bring into balance or equilibrium)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "balance"):

juggle (hold with difficulty and balance insecurely)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

balance (a state of equilibrium)

balancer (either of the rudimentary hind wings of dipterous insects; used for maintaining equilibrium during flight)

balancer (an acrobat who balances himself in difficult positions)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Be in equilibrium

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Context example:

He was balancing on one foot

Hypernyms (to "balance" is one way to...):

be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))

Verb group:

balance; equilibrate; equilibrise; equilibrize (bring into balance or equilibrium)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Sentence examples:

The children balance in the rocking chair
There balance some children in the rocking chair

Derivation:

balance (a state of equilibrium)

balancer (either of the rudimentary hind wings of dipterous insects; used for maintaining equilibrium during flight)

balancer (an acrobat who balances himself in difficult positions)

 Context examples 

The use of fragrant essences or extracts from plants to treat a variety of health conditions and support and balance the mind, body, and spirit.

(Aromatherapy and Essential Oils, NCI Thesaurus)

Lack or absence of balanced proportions between parts of a thing.

(Asymmetry, NCI Dictionary)

A trained non-medical health professional who specializes in the identification, testing, habilitation and rehabilitation of hearing loss and other auditory and balance disorders.

(Audiologist, NCI Thesaurus)

They control water metabolism and balance by regulating lung, gill, kidney, etc., and water loss, and also contract smooth muscle.

(Argipressin, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

Antiparkinsonian agents act by restoring the striatal balance between dopaminergic and cholinergic neurotransmission.

(Antiparkinsonian Agent, NCI Thesaurus)

A hormone secreted by the adrenal cortex that regulates electrolyte and water balance by increasing the renal retention of sodium and the excretion of potassium.

(Aldosterone, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

Loss of the balance between stimulation and inhibition of new blood vessel growth.

(Angiogenic Switch, NCI Thesaurus)

They work to balance some of the natural chemicals in our brains.

(Antidepressants, NIH: National Institute of Mental Health)

The goal is to cleanse the body and to restore balance to the body, mind, and spirit.

(Ayurveda, NCI Dictionary)

If the feeling happens often, it could be a sign of a balance problem.

(Balance Problems, NIH: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders)