balance

[[t]bæ̱ləns[/t]]

♦♦

balances, balancing, balanced

1) V-ERG To balance somewhere means to remain steady and not fall over.

[V prep/adv] I balanced on the ledge...

[V n prep/adv] He balanced a football on his head.

2) N-UNCOUNT Balance is the ability to remain steady when you are standing up.

The medicines you are currently taking could be affecting your balance.

3) V-RECIP-ERG If you balance one thing with something different, each of the things has the same strength or importance.

[V n with n] Balance spicy dishes with mild ones...

[V pl-n] The state has got to find some way to balance these two needs...

[pl-n V] Supply and demand on the currency market will generally balance. [Also V with n]

Derived words:

balanced ADJ usu adv ADJ

This book is a well balanced biography.

4) N-SING: with supp, oft N between pl-n A balance is a situation in which all the different parts are equal in strength or importance.

Their marriage is a delicate balance between traditional and contemporary values...

There was no other way to ensure that people would get the right balance of foods.

...the ecological balance of the forest.

Syn:

equilibrium

Ant:

imbalance

5) N-SING: the N If you say that the balance tips in your favour, you start winning or succeeding, especially in a conflict or contest.

...a powerful new gun which could tip the balance of the war in their favour...

The balance continues to swing away from final examinations to continuous assessment.

Syn:

scales

6) VERB If you balance one thing against another, you consider its importance in relation to the other one.

[V n against n] She carefully tried to balance religious sensitivities against democratic freedom.

7) VERB If someone balances their budget or if a government balances the economy of a country, they make sure that the amount of money that is spent is not greater than the amount that is received.

[V n] He balanced his budgets by rigid control over public expenditure.

8) V-ERG If you balance your books or make them balance, you prove by calculation that the amount of money you have received is equal to the amount that you have spent.

[V n] ...teaching them to balance the books. [Also V]

9) N-COUNT: usu with supp The balance in your bank account is the amount of money you have in it.

I'd like to check the balance in my account please.

10) N-SING: the N The balance of an amount of money is what remains to be paid for something or what remains when part of the amount has been spent.

They were due to pay the balance on delivery.

Syn:

remainder

11) → See also bank balance

12) PHRASE: PHR after v, v-link PHR If something hangs in the balance, it is uncertain whether it will happen or continue.

The fate of a project which could revolutionise the use of computers in hospitals hangs in the balance.

13) PHRASE: V inflects If you keep your balance, for example when standing in a moving vehicle, you remain steady and do not fall over. If you lose your balance, you become unsteady and fall over.

She was holding onto the rail to keep her balance...

He swung around, almost losing his balance.

14) PHRASE: PHR after v, v-link PHR If you are off balance, you are in an unsteady position and about to fall.

A gust of wind knocked him off balance and he fell face down in the mud.

15) PHRASE: PHR after v If you are thrown off balance by something, you are surprised or confused by it.

She was trying to behave as if his visit hadn't thrown her off balance.

16) PHRASE: PHR with cl You can say on balance to indicate that you are stating an opinion after considering all the relevant facts or arguments.

On balance he agreed with Christine.

Phrasal Verbs:

- balance out