2. 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.
3. (Dancing) To move toward a person or couple, and then back.
Balanceable
(Bal"ance*a*ble) a. Such as can be balanced.
Balancement
(Bal"ance*ment) n. The act or result of balancing or adjusting; equipoise; even adjustment
of forces. [R.] Darwin.
Balancer
(Bal"an*cer) n.
1. One who balances, or uses a balance.
2. (Zoöl.) In Diptera, the rudimentary posterior wing.
Balancereef
(Bal"ance*reef`) n. (Naut.) The last reef in a fore-and-aft sail, taken to steady the ship.
Balance wheel
(Bal"ance wheel`)
1. (Horology) (a) A wheel which regulates the beats or pulses of a watch or chronometer, answering
to the pendulum of a clock; — often called simply a balance. (b) A ratchet-shaped scape wheel, which
in some watches is acted upon by the axis of the balance wheel proper
2. (Mach.) A wheel which imparts regularity to the movements of any engine or machine; a fly wheel.
Balaniferous
(Bal`a*nif"er*ous) a. [L. balanus acorn + -ferous.] Bearing or producing acorns.
Balanite
(Bal"a*nite) n. [L. balanus acorn: cf. F. balanite.] (Paleon.) A fossil balanoid shell.
Balanoglossus
(||Bal`a*no*glos"sus) n. [NL., fr. Gr. ba`lanos acorn + glw^ssa tongue.] (Zoöl) A peculiar
marine worm. See Enteropneusta, and Tornaria.
Balanoid
(Bal"a*noid) a. [Gr. balanos acorn + -oid.] (Zoöl.) Resembling an acorn; — applied to a group
of barnacles having shells shaped like acorns. See Acornshell, and Barnacle.
Balas ruby
(Bal"as ru`by) [OE. bales, balais, F. balais, LL. balascus, fr. Ar. balakhsh, so called from
Badakhshan, Balashan, or Balaxiam, a place in the neighborhood of Samarcand, where this ruby is
found.] (Min.) A variety of spinel ruby, of a pale rose red, or inclining to orange. See Spinel.
Balaustine
(Ba*laus"tine) n. [L. balaustium, Gr. balay`stion.] (Bot.) The pomegranate tree The bark
of the root, the rind of the fruit, and the flowers are used medicinally.
Balbutiate
(Bal*bu"ti*ate Bal*bu"ci*nate) v. i. [L. balbutire, fr. balbus stammering: cf. F. balbutier.]
To stammer. [Obs.]
Balbuties
(||Bal*bu"ti*es) n. (Med.) The defect of stammering; also, a kind of incomplete pronunciation.
Balcon
(Bal"con) n. A balcony. [Obs.] Pepys.
Balconied
(Bal"co*nied) a. Having balconies.
Balcony
(Bal"co*ny) n.; pl. Balconies [It. balcone; cf. It. balco, palco, scaffold, fr. OHG. balcho,
palcho, beam, G. balken. See Balk beam.]
