American Heritage Dictionary Entry: balance HOW TO USE THE DICTIONARY To look up an entry in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, use the search window above. For best results, after typing in the word, click on the “Search” button instead of using the “enter” key. Some compound words (like bus rapid transit, dog whistle, or identity theft) don’t appear on the drop-down list when you type them in the search bar. For best results with compound words, place a quotation mark before the compound word in the search window. guide to the dictionary THE USAGE PANEL The Usage Panel is a group of nearly 200 prominent scholars, creative writers, journalists, diplomats, and others in occupations requiring mastery of language. Annual surveys have gauged the acceptability of particular usages and grammatical constructions. The Panelists NEED HELP SOLVING A CROSSWORD PUZZLE? Go to our Crossword Puzzle Solver and type in the letters that you know, and the Solver will produce a list of possible solutions. -- AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY APP The new American Heritage Dictionary app is now available for iOS and Android. THE AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY BLOG The articles in our blog examine new words, revised definitions, interesting images from the fifth edition, discussions of usage, and more. OPEN DICTIONARY PROJECT Share your ideas for new words and new meanings of old words! Start Sharing Now! -- See word lists from the best-selling 100 Words Series! Find out more! INTERESTED IN DICTIONARIES? Check out the Dictionary Society of North America at http://www.dictionarysociety.com Bal·ance (băləns) Share: Tweet n. See Libra. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved. bal·ance (băləns) Share: Tweet n. 1. A weighing device, especially one consisting of a rigid beam horizontally suspended by a low-friction support at its center, with identical weighing pans hung at either end, one of which holds an unknown weight while the effective weight in the other is increased by known amounts until the beam is level and motionless. Also called scale. 2. A state of equilibrium or parity characterized by cancellation of all forces by equal opposing forces. 3. The power or means to decide: matters that fell outside the judge's balance. 4. a. A state of bodily equilibrium: thrown off balance by a gust of wind. b. The ability to maintain bodily equilibrium: Gymnasts must have good balance. 5. A harmonious or satisfying arrangement or proportion of parts or elements, as in a design. 6. An influence or force tending to produce equilibrium; counterpoise. 7. The difference in magnitude between opposing forces or influences. 8. Accounting a. Equality of totals in the debit and credit sides of an account. b. The difference between such totals, either on the credit or the debit side. 9. Something that is left over; a remainder. 10. Chemistry Equality of mass and net electric charge of reacting species on each side of an equation. 11. Mathematics Equality with respect to the net number of reduced symbolic quantities on each side of an equation. 12. A balance wheel. v. bal·anced, bal·anc·ing, bal·anc·es v.tr. 1. To determine the weight of (something) in a weighing device. 2. To consider and compare or assess: balanced the pros and cons before making a choice. 3. To bring into or maintain in a state of equilibrium. 4. To act as an equalizing weight or force to; counterbalance. 5. Accounting a. To compute the difference between the debits and credits of (an account). b. To reconcile or equalize the sums of the debits and credits of (an account). c. To settle (an account, for example) by paying what is owed. 6. To bring into or keep in equal or satisfying proportion or harmony. 7. Mathematics & Chemistry To bring (an equation) into balance. 8. To move toward and then away from (a dance partner). v.intr. 1. To be in or come into equilibrium. 2. To be equal or equivalent. 3. To sway or waver as if losing or regaining equilibrium. 4. To move toward and then away from a dance partner.Idioms: in the balance In an undetermined and often critical position: Our plans were left hanging in the balance. Resolution of that item is still in the balance. on balance Taking everything into consideration; all in all. [Middle English balaunce, from Old French, from Vulgar Latin *bilancia, having two scale pans, from Latin bilānx : bi-, two; see dwo- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + lānx, scale.] balance·a·ble adj. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved. Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices: Indo-European Roots Semitic Roots The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots. American Heritage Dictionary Products The American Heritage Dictionary, 5th Edition The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms The American Heritage Roget's Thesaurus Curious George's Dictionary The American Heritage Children's Dictionary CONTACT US Customer Service Make Me An Author Ebooks Help with Glose Reader ABOUT US Company Profile Leadership Team Corporate Social Responsibility HarperCollins Careers HarperCollins Imprints HarperGreen Social Media Directory Accessibility FOR READERS Browse Reading Guides FOR AUTHORS Submit a Manuscript Report Piracy Agent Portal MEDIA Publicity Contacts Press Room SERVICES HarperCollins Speakers Bureau Library Services Academic Services Desk & Exam Copies Review Copies OpenBook API Marketing Partnerships COVID-19 RESOURCES & PERMISSIONS Permissions for Adult Online Readings Permissions for Kids Online Readings SALES & RIGHTS Booksellers & Retailer Ordering HarperCollins Catalogs Permissions Subsidiary Rights Media Rights and Content Development GLOSE APP iPhone Android GLOBAL DIVISIONS HarperCollins US HarperCollins Canada HarperCollins Christian HarperCollins Australia HarperCollins India HarperCollins UK Terms of Use • Terms of Sale • Your Ad Choices • Privacy Policy • California Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Personal Information Copyright 2022 HarperCollins Publishers All rights reserved. *This website is best viewed in Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, or Safari. Some characters in pronunciations and etymologies cannot be displayed properly in Internet Explorer.