ballast

nounsomething giving balance

Synonyms for ballast

noun something giving balance

Antonyms for ballast

instability

Word Origin & History

"heavy material used to steady a ship," 1520s, from Middle English bar "bare" (see bare; in this case "mere") + last "a load, burden," or borrowed from identical terms in North Sea Germanic and Scandinavian (cf. Old Danish barlast, 14c.). "Mere" because not carried for commercial purposes. Dutch balg-last "ballast," literally "belly-load," is a folk-etymology corruption.

Example Sentences for ballast

The vessel was in ballast, and had brought money to make her purchases with.

You are in the same boat, and we must divide the ballast a little more equally.'

Four or five of these busts had been struck into the launch as ballast.

It is a tempest of fancies, and the only ballast I know is a respect to the present hour.

Will you take me down to the Point when you get the ballast?

A gran' thing in a vessel, a bit o' ballast—like religion in a body.

The great fault in Zinzendorf's character was lack of ballast.

They got into the car, and the bags of ballast were tossed overboard.

It is valuable as a building stone and as ballast for roadbeds and foundations.

She had a considerable quantity of ballast in her, composed of pigs of iron.

ballast

Synonyms for ballast

Antonyms for ballast

counterpoise

freight

load

loads

poise

ballast

Synonyms for ballast

Antonyms for ballast

More words related to ballast

anchor

counterpoise

freight

load

loads

poise