Balance electrometer
a kind of balance, with a poised beam, which indicates, by weights suspended from one arm, the mutual attraction of oppositely electrified surfaces.

Balance fish
(Zool) See Hammerhead. - Knight.

Balance knife
a carving or table knife the handle of which overbalances the blade, and so keeps it from contact with the table.

Balance of power
(Politics) such an adjustment of power among sovereign states that no one state is in a position to interfere with the independence of the others; international equilibrium; also, the ability (of a state or a third party within a state) to control the relations between sovereign states or between dominant parties in a state.

Balance sheet
(Bookkeeping) a paper showing the balances of the open accounts of a business, the debit and credit balances footing up equally, if the system of accounts be complete and the balances correctly taken.

Balance thermometer
a thermometer mounted as a balance so that the movement of the mercurial column changes the inclination of the tube. With the aid of electrical or mechanical devices adapted to it, it is used for the automatic regulation of the temperature of rooms warmed artificially, and as a fire alarm.

Balance of torsion
See Torsion Balance.

Balance of trade
(Pol. Econ.) an equilibrium between the money values of the exports and imports of a country; or more commonly, the amount required on one side or the other to make such an equilibrium.

Balance valve
a valve whose surfaces are so arranged that the fluid pressure tending to seat, and that tending to unseat, the valve, are nearly in equilibrium; esp., a puppet valve which is made to operate easily by the admission of steam to both sides. See Puppet valve.

Hydrostatic balance
See under Hydrostatic.

To lay in balance
to put up as a pledge or security.

To strike a balance
to find out the difference between the debit and credit sides of an account. - Chaucer.

v. t.

To bring to an equipoise, as the scales of a balance by adjusting the weights; to weigh in a balance.

[imp. & p. p. Balanced (băl"anst); p. pr. & vb. n. Balancing (băl"an*sĭng).]

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.

One expression . . . must check and balance another.

- Kent.

To compare in relative force, importance, value, etc.; to estimate.

Balance the good and evil of things.

- L'Estrange.

To settle and adjust, as an account; to make two accounts equal by paying the difference between them.

I am very well satisfied that it is not in my power to balance accounts with my Maker.

- Addison.

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.

(Dancing) To move toward, and then back from, reciprocally; as, to balance partners.

(Naut.) To contract, as a sail, into a narrower compass; as, to balance the boom mainsail.

Balanced valve
See Balance valve, under Balance, n.

v. i.

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.

He would not balance or err in the determination of his choice.

- Locke.

(Dancing) To move toward a person or couple, and then back.

Noun	1.	balance - a state of equilibrium Antonyms: imbalance, unbalance, instability - a state of disequilibrium (as may occur in cases of inner ear disease)
	2.	balance - a scale for weighing; depends on pull of gravity
	3.	balance - equality between the totals of the credit and debit sides of an account
	4.	balance - 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 Synonyms: proportion
	5.	balance - equality of distribution Synonyms: equipoise, counterbalance, equilibrium
	6.	balance - something left after other parts have been taken away; "there was no remainder"; "he threw away the rest"; "he took what he wanted and I got the balance" Synonyms: remainder, residual, residuum, rest, residue
	7.	balance - the difference between the totals of the credit and debit sides of an account
	8.	Balance - (astrology) a person who is born while the sun in in Libra Synonyms: Libra
	9.	Balance - the seventh sign of the zodiac; the sun is in this sign from about September 23 to October 22 Synonyms: Libra the Balance, Libra the Scales, Libra
	10.	balance - (mathematics) an attribute of a shape or relation; exact correspondence of form on opposite sides of a dividing line or plane Synonyms: symmetricalness, symmetry, correspondence
	11.	balance - an equivalent counterbalancing weight Synonyms: counterbalance, counterpoise, counterweight, equaliser, equalizer
	12.	balance - a wheel that regulates the rate of movement in a machine; especially a wheel oscillating against the hairspring of a timepiece to regulate its beat Synonyms: balance wheel
Verb	1.	balance - bring into balance or equilibrium; "She has to balance work and her domestic duties"; "balance the two weights" Synonyms: equilibrise, equilibrize, equilibrate Antonyms: unbalance - throw out of balance or equilibrium; "The tax relief unbalanced the budget"; "The primadonna unbalances the smooth work in our department"
	2.	balance - compute credits and debits of an account
	3.	balance - hold or carry in equilibrium Synonyms: poise
	4.	balance - be in equilibrium; "He was balancing on one foot"

BALANCE, com. law. The amount which remains due by one of two persons, who have been dealing together, to the other, after the settlement of their accounts.
2. In the case of mutual debts, the balance only can be recovered by the assignee of an insolvent, or the executor of a deceased person. But this mutuality must have existed at the time of the assignment by the insolvent, or at the death of the testator.
3. The term general balance is sometimes used to signify the difference which is due to a party claiming a lien on goods in his hands, for work or labor done, or money expended in relation to those and other goods of the debtor. 3 B. & P. 485; 3 Esp. R. 268.

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match, match up with, mean, means, measure, measure against, measure up to, measuredness, median, mediocrity, medium, mental balance, mental equilibrium, mental health, mental hygiene, mental poise, metaphorize, middle, middle course, middle ground, middle point, middle position, middle state, middle-of-the-road, midpoint, minute, moneys, multilateral symmetry, mutuality, nail down, nerve, nest egg, net, norm, normal, normalcy, normality, normalize, normalness, note, odds and ends, offscourings, offset, oppose, order, orderedness, orts, outweigh, overage, overhaul, overmeasure, overplus, overrun, overset, overstock, oversupply, painterliness, par, parallel, parallelism, parings, parity, pause, pecuniary resources, perspective, pin down, place against, plain sense, plus, pocket, polarity, ponder, pool, possession, post, post up, pourboire, practical mind, practical wisdom, practicality, preponderance, presence of mind, property, proportion, proportionability, proportionality, proportionate, prove, provision account, pull back, purse, quid pro quo, rags, ratio, rationality, reach, reason, reasonableness, reciprocality, reciprocation, reciprocity, reckoning, redeem, refuse, regularity, regularize, regulate, relate, relativity, reliability, relics, remainder, remnant, repose, reserves, residual, residuum, resource, resources, rest, restraint, retain, retreat, revenue account, rhythm, right mind, rival, roach, rootedness, rubbish, ruins, rule, rump, run, run a comparison, run abreast, run to, running account, sales account, sameness, sanemindedness, saneness, sang-froid, sangfroid, sanity, savings, savings account, sawdust, scales, score, scourings, scraps, scruple, secureness, security, self-assurance, self-command, self-confidence, self-control, self-possession, self-restraint, selling account, sense, senses, sensibleness, set in contrast, set in opposition, set off, set off against, set over against, setoff, shading, shadow, shapeliness, shavings, shilly-shally, shy, similarity, similize, smooth, sober senses, sober-mindedness, soberness, sobriety, solidity, something extra, something of value, sound mind, soundness, soundness of mind, spare, square, square up, stabilitate, stabilize, stable state, stack up with, stagnancy, stagnation, standardize, stasis, steadfastness, steadiness, steady, steady nerves, steady state, stereotype, stick, stick at, stickle, stock account, stop to consider, straddle the fence, strain at, straw, strike a balance, stubble, stump, substance, substantiality, supply, surplus, surplusage, survival, suspense account, sweepings, sweetness, symmetricalness, symmetrize, symmetry, take stock, tally, technique, think twice about, tie, tip, tip the scales, tit for tat, tone, touch, trace, transfix, treasure, treatment, trilateral symmetry, tune, undeflectability, uniformity, uniformize, unregistered bank account, unshakable nerves, unshakableness, valuation account, values, verify, vestige, via media, view 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