balance

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

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

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

2. 2
   verb

   to hold or carry in equilibrium

   I balanced the grocery bags carefully while trying to find my keys.

3. 3
   verb

   to compute credits and debits of an account

   I balance my bank account regularly.

4. 4
   verb

   to bring into balance or equilibrium

   You have to balance work and the rest of your life.

5. 5
   verb

   to be in equilibrium

   I balanced on the pole.

6. 6
   noun

   A state in which opposing forces harmonise; equilibrium.

   But civilized man is quite a different animal, and when he wipes out an entire city or levels a forest, he is no longer working within the natural balance of things.

7. 7
   noun

   Something of equal weight used to provide equilibrium; counterweight.

   These weights are used as a balance for the overhanging verandah.

8. 8
   noun

   The overall result of conflicting forces, opinions etc.; the influence which ultimately "weighs" more than others.

   The balance of power finally lay with the Royalist forces.

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁ Proto-Indo-European *dwi- Proto-Italic *dwi- Latin bi- Latin lanx Latin bilanx Vulgar Latin *bilancia Old French balancebor. Middle English balaunce English balance From Middle English balaunce, from Old French balance, from Late Latin *bilancia, from (accusative form of) Latin bilanx (“two-scaled”), from bi- + lanx (“plate, scale”). Displaced the word — Old English wǣġ akin to Modern English: wey from Proto-West Germanic *wāgu (“scales; weight”).