• | An apparatus for weighing. |
• | Act of weighing mentally; comparison; estimate. |
• | Equipoise between the weights in opposite scales. |
• | The state of being in equipoise; equilibrium; even
adjustment; steadiness. |
• | 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 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. |
• | A movement in dancing. See Balance, v. i., S. |
• | To bring to an equipoise, as the scales of a balance by
adjusting the weights; to weigh in a balance. |
• | 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. |
• | To equal in number, weight, force, or proportion; to
counterpoise, counterbalance, counteract, or neutralize. |
• | To compare in relative force, importance, value, etc.; to
estimate. |
• | To settle and adjust, as an account; to make two accounts
equal by paying the difference between them. |
• | 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. |
• | 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. |
• | To move toward, and then back from, reciprocally; as, to
balance partners. |
• | To contract, as a sail, into a narrower compass; as, to
balance the boom mainsail. |
• | To have equal weight on each side; to be in equipoise;
as, the scales balance. |
• | To fluctuate between motives which appear of equal
force; to waver; to hesitate. |
• | To move toward a person or couple, and then back. |