balance

See also Balance

English

Wikipedia

A balance (scale).

A rock balanced on one corner.

Alternative forms

• balaunce

Etymology

From Middle French balance, from Late Latin *bilancia, from (accusative form of) Latin bilanx (“two-scaled”), from bi- + lanx (“plate, scale”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ˈbaləns/
• (US) IPA: /ˈbæləns/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

balance (countable and uncountable; plural balances)

1. (uncountable) a state in which opposing forces harmonise; equilibrium
2. (uncountable) mental equilibrium; mental health; calmness, a state of remaining clear-headed and unperturbed
3. something of equal weight used to provide equilibrium (literally or figuratively); counterweight

   These weights are used as a balance for the overhanging verandah

   Blair thought he could provide a useful balance to Bush's policies.

4. a pair of scales
5. (uncountable) awareness of both viewpoints or matters; neutrality; rationality; objectivity
6. (uncountable) 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.

   I think the balance of opinion is that we should get out while we're ahead.

7. (uncountable) apparent harmony in art (between differing colours, sounds, etc.)
8. (accounting) a list accounting for the debits on one side, and for the credits on the other.
9. (accounting) the result of such a procedure; the difference between credit and debit of an account.

   I just need to nip to a bank and check my balance.

10. (watchmaking) a device used to regulate the speed of a watch, clock etc.
11. (obsolete, astrology) Libra

Synonyms

• (scales): pair of scales, scales, weighing machine, weighbridge (for vehicles)
• (equilibrium): equilibrium
• (support for both viewpoints): disinterest, even-handedness, fairness, impartiality, neutrality, non-partisanship
• (list of credits and debits): account

Antonyms

• (equilibrium): non-equilibrium, imbalance, unbalance
• (support for both viewpoints): bias, favor/favour, partiality, partisanship, prejudice, unfairness

Derived terms

terms derived from balance (noun)

Accounting adjusted trial balance analytical balance balance of payments balance sheet balanced scorecard closing balance comparative balance sheet trial balance opening balance

Other balance beam balance of nature balance of power balance of trade balance wheel balancing act chemical balance hang in the balance in the balance keep one's balance lose one's balance off balance on balance strike a balance throw off balance

Translations

scales

Albanian: peshore Arabic: ميزان (ar) (mizan) Armenian: կշեռք (hy) (kšeṙk') Bulgarian: теглилка (bg), везна (bg) Dutch: weegschaal (nl) f. Finnish: vaaka, varsivaaka French: balance (fr) f. German: Waage (de) f. Greek: ζυγαριά (el) (zygariá) Gujarati: તુલા (tulā) f. Hebrew: מאזניים (he) (moznaim) m. pl. Hindi: तराज़ू (hi) (tarāzū) m., तुला (hi) (tulā) f. Hungarian: mérleg (hu) Ido: balanco Italian: bilancia (it) f. Japanese: 秤 (hakari), 天秤 (tenbin)

Kurdish: terazî (ku) f. Luxembourgish: Wo (lb) f. Mandarin: 天秤,天秤 (tiān píng) Norwegian: vekt (no) f. Persian: ترازو (fa) (tarâzû), میزان (fa) (mîzân) Polish: waga (pl) f. Portuguese: balança (pt) Russian: весы (ru) (vesý) m. pl. Serbo-Croatian: Cyrillic: ва́га (sh) f., теразије (sh) f., кантар (sh) m. Roman: vága (sh) f., terazije (sh) f., kantar (sh) m. Spanish: balanza (es) f. Swedish: balansvåg (sv) c., våg (sv) c., vågskål (sv) c. Telugu: త్రాసు (traasu), కాటా (kaaTaa) Turkish: terazi (tr), kantar (tr) Urdu: ترازو (tarāzū) m., تلا (tulā) f., میزان (mīzān) f.

equilibrium

Albanian: ekuilibër Armenian: հավասարակշռություն (hy) (havasarakšṙut'yun) Bulgarian: равновесие (bg) Catalan: equilibri, m. Czech: rovnováha (cs) f. Dutch: evenwicht (nl) n., balans (nl) m. Finnish: tasapaino (fi) French: équilibre (fr) m. German: Balance (de) f., Gleichgewicht (de) n. Greek: ισορροπία (el) (isorropía) f. Hebrew: שיווי משקל (he) (shivúi mishkál) m., איזון (he) (izún) m. Ido: equilibro Italian: equilibrio (it) m. Japanese: 均衡 (kinkō), バランス (baransu) Kurdish: terazû (ku), hevsengî (ku), yeksengî (ku), balans (ku), denge (ku)

Mandarin: 平衡, 平衡 (píng héng) Norwegian: balanse (no) m. Portuguese: equilíbrio (pt) Romanian: echilibru (ro), cumpăt (ro) Russian: равновесие (ru) (ravnov'ésije) n., баланс (ru) (baláns) m. Scottish Gaelic: co-chothrom (gd) m. Serbo-Croatian: Cyrillic: равноте́жа (sh) f. Roman: ravnotéža (sh) f. Slovene: ravnotežje n., ravnovesje n. Spanish: equilibrio (es) m. Swedish: balans (sv) c., jämvikt (sv) c., jämviktsläge (sv) c. Telugu: సమతుల్యత (samatulyata) Turkish: denge (tr) Ukrainian: рівновага (uk) (rivnováha) f.

support for both viewpoints

Albanian: balancë (sq) Bulgarian: балансираност (bg) Dutch: evenwicht (nl) n. German: Ausgewogenheit f. Greek: ισορροπία (el) (isorropía) f. Hebrew: איזון (he) (izún) m. Italian: neutralità (it) f.

Mandarin: 和諧, 和谐 (hé xié) Serbo-Croatian: Cyrillic: равноте́жа (sh) f. Roman: ravnotéža (sh) f. Spanish: equilibrio (es) m. Swedish: avvägning (sv) c.

list of credits and debits

Albanian: bilanc (sq) Arabic: رصيد (raʂíd) m. Armenian: բալանս (hy) (balans) Bulgarian: баланс (bg) Catalan: balanç m. Dutch: balans (nl) m. Finnish: saldo (fi) French: solde (fr) m. German: Bilanz (de) f., Saldo (de) m.

Greek: ισοζύγιο (el) (isozýgio) n. Hebrew: מאזן (he) (ma`azán) m. Ido: bilanco (io) Italian: bilancio (it) m. Mandarin: 結存, 結存 (jié cún) Romanian: bilanț (ro) Russian: баланс (ru) (baláns) m. Spanish: balance (es) m. Swedish: balansräkning (sv) c.

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.

Translations to be checked

Breton: kempouez m. Ido: balanco, equilibro Indonesian: keseimbangan, keserasian

Verb

In equilibrium

balance (third-person singular simple present balances, present participle balancing, simple past and past participle balanced)

1. (transitive) to make (items) weigh up.
2. (transitive) (figurative) to make (concepts) agree.
3. (transitive) to hold (an object or objects) precariously.
4. (transitive) to make the credits and debits of (an account) correspond.
5. (intransitive) to be in equilibrium.
6. (intransitive) to have matching credits and debits.

Derived terms

• balanced
• balance out
• balance the books

Translations

make (items) weigh up

Bulgarian: уравновесявам (bg) Catalan: equilibrar, compensar German: wiegen (de) Greek: ζυγίζω (el) (zygízo) Norwegian: balansere (no)

Serbo-Croatian: Cyrillic: балансирати (sh) Roman: balansirati (sh) Spanish: balancear (es) Swedish: balansera (sv)

make (concepts) agree

German: ausgleichen (de) Greek: ισορροπώ (el) (isorropó) Serbo-Croatian: Cyrillic: балансирати (sh) Roman: balansirati (sh)

hold (objects) precariously

Bulgarian: балансирам (bg) German: balancieren, im Gleichgewicht halten Greek: ισορροπώ (el) (isorropó) Norwegian: balansere (no)

Serbo-Croatian: Cyrillic: балансирати (sh) Roman: balansirati (sh) Swedish: balansera (sv)

make the credits and debits of (an account) correspond

Bulgarian: правя баланс (bg) French: apurer (fr) German: bilanzieren Greek: αντισταθμίζω (el) (antistathmízo), ισοσκελίζω (el) (isoskelízo) Italian: conguagliare (it) Norwegian: balansere (no)

Serbo-Croatian: Cyrillic: балансирати (sh) Roman: balansirati (sh) Spanish: hacer balance (es) Swedish: balansera (sv)

be in equilibrium

Bulgarian: уравновесен съм (bg) Finnish: olla tasapainossa

Greek: ισορροπώ (el) (isorropó) Swedish: balansera (sv), jämna ut sig (sv), stå och väga (sv), vara i jämvikt (sv)

have matching credits and debits

Bulgarian: балансиран съм (bg)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.

Translations to be checked

Ido: ponderar

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French

Etymology

From Late Latin *bilancia, from Latin bilanx, from bi- (see Latin bis) and lanx.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /balɑ̃s/

• audio

  (file)

Noun

balance f. (plural balances)

1. scales
2. (chemistry, physics) balance
3. (economics, electricity, politics) balance
4. (fishing) drop-net
5. (slang) informant, snitch

Verb

balance

1. first-person singular present indicative of balancer
2. third-person singular present indicative of balancer
3. first-person singular present subjunctive of balancer
4. first-person singular present subjunctive of balancer
5. second-person singular imperative of balancer

Related terms

• balancer
• balançoire

Anagrams

• bancale

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Spanish

Noun

balance m. (plural balances)

1. (accounting) balance