26984 words

balance

30 definitions • 45 examples
1

Examples:

lose your balance The toddler wobbled and lost his balance (= started to fall sideways).
keep your balance She had to hold onto the railings to keep her balance (= to stop herself from falling).
maintain balance These canals inside the ear are responsible for helping the body maintain balance.
2
a situation where different things are given equal importance, or are considered or divided equally or fairly:

Examples:

strike a balance We must strike a balance between reckless spending and penny-pinching (= try to have something between these two things).
redress the balance New tax measures are designed to redress the balance (= make the situation more equal) between rich and poor.
balance between She says finding the right balance between her own ideas and those of her tutors was initially confusing.
The gender balance is improving as we are now training more female paramedics.
Life is all about balance, and the happiest people seem to be those who manage to maintain that balance.
3
after thinking about all the different facts or opinions:

Examples:

I would say that, on balance, it hasn't been a bad year.
On balance, I believe he was a good president.
I think that on balance, this is a safe city to live in.
On balance, we support wind power as a source of clean energy.
They have created a show that is, on balance, pretty entertaining.
4
The balance on a piece of electronic equipment for playing music is the particular mixture of different sounds, or the device that controls this.
5
a device used for weighing things, consisting of two dishes hanging on a bar that shows when the contents of both dishes weigh the same
6
the amount of money you have in a bank account, or the amount of something that you have left after you have spent or used up the rest:

Examples:

Once we know how much money we'll need, let's spend the balance.
bank balance The company's success is reflected in its healthy bank balance.
account balance The bank doesn't pay interest on current account balances.
7
the money that is returned to someone who has paid for something that costs less than the amount that they gave
8
to be in a position where you will stand without falling to either side, or to put something in this position:

Examples:

balance on The flamingos balanced gracefully on one leg.
balance something on something She balanced a huge pot effortlessly on her head and walked down to the river.
9
to give several things equal amounts of importance, time, or money so that a situation is successful:

Examples:

I struggle to balance work and family commitments.
10
to arrange a system that relates to money so that the amount of money spent is not more than the amount received:

Examples:

Check your bank statements, balance your accounts and add up your expenses.
balance the budget Stringent measures were introduced so that the government could balance the budget.
11
to make certain that the amount of money spent is not more than the amount of money received:

Examples:

If the business loses any more money, we won't be able to balance the books this year.
12
the condition of someone or something in which its weight is equally divided so that it can stay in one position or be under control while moving:

Examples:

He jumped off the porch and lost his balance when he landed on the grass, falling to the ground.
We’re teaching Sue how to ride a bike, but she’s still having trouble keeping her balance.
The horse jumped the fence but landed off balance and fell.
13
Balance in a work of art means that all the parts of it work together and no part is emphasized too much.
14
a situation in which two opposing forces have or are given the same power:

Examples:

He works toward a balance between extremes.
As a journalist, you try to strike a balance between serious reporting and the temptation to say clever things.
15
the amount of money you have in a bank account or an amount of money owed:

Examples:

a bank balance
16
A balance is also the amount of something that you have left after you have spent or used up the rest:

Examples:

We’ll go over your homework for the first half hour and use the balance of the class period to prepare for the exam.
17
to make something stay in one position by having its weight equally divided:

Examples:

[ T ] He balanced the book on top of his coffee cup.
18
to put opposing forces into a position in which neither controls the other:

Examples:

I had to balance the children’s needs against my own.
19
the difference in the amount of money that has come into and gone out of a bank account in a particular period:

Examples:

20
the amount shown in a company's financial records that is the difference between the total credits and the total debits in a particular account:

Examples:

This balance is then transferred to the profit and loss account.
21
the amount of money that you still owe after you have paid a part of the total amount:

Examples:

Cut your outstanding mortgage balance and your monthly repayments will also come down.
22
the amount of money that you owe on a credit card account:

Examples:

He is one of millions of people who does not pay off his credit card balance every month.
23
the remaining part of an amount:

Examples:

We ordered 200 copies; 50 to be delivered now and the balance next month.
24
the state where things exist in equal amounts or are of equal importance:

Examples:

They are looking for a better balance between internet security and ease of use.
You need to find a balance between the demands of work and those of your home life.
25
to arrange a system of accounts so that the amount of money spent is no more than the amount received:
26
if an account balances, the amounts of money on the credit and debit sides are equal:

Examples:

He had made some kind of computation error and the account didn't balance.
27
to spend only as much money as you have received, or planned to spend:

Examples:

The President is unlikely to balance the budget in this term of office, but he does hope to lower the deficit.
28
to be equal in amount or value, or to make things equal in amount or value:

Examples:

They hoped that this month's good sales would balance out the poor sales in the previous month.
29
to give two or more things equal amounts of importance, time, or money so that a situation is successful:

Examples:

I struggle to balance work and family commitments.
30
a situation in which a person tries to give equal amounts of importance to two or more things so that a situation is successful:

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