English Explanatory Dictionary

ballast

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Heavy material that is placed in the hold of a ship (or in the gondola of a balloon), to provide stability.
  2. Anything that steadies emotion or the mind.
  3. Coarse gravel or similar material laid to form a bed for roads or railroads, or in making concrete; track ballast.
  4. 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.
  5. Loose stone or big gravel used to hold rails and tracks in place.
  6. device used for stabilizing current in an electric circuit (e.g. in a tube lamp supply circuit)
  7. That which gives, or helps to maintain, uprightness, steadiness, and security.
verb
  1. To stabilize or load a ship with ballast.
  2. To lay ballast on the bed of a railroad track.
  3. To weigh down with a ballast.

Pronunciation

/ˈbæl.əst/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-ballast.wav en-us-ballast.ogg en-au-ballast.ogg

Word forms

ballast ballasts ballasting ballasted

Etymology

From Middle English bar (“bare”) + last (“load”).

Derived words

autoballaster ballastage ballast car ballastless ballastmaster ballast resistor ballast tank ballast wagon deballast in ballast in ballast condition overballast unballast unballasted water ballast ballast up reballast reballasting
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