Forms: 4–5 balaunce, 5 belans, belauns, -nce, 5–6 ballaunce, 6 ballanis, -es, 6–8 ballance, 7 bilanz, 3– balance. [a. Fr. balance (= Sp. balanza, Pr. balansa, It. bilancia):—late L. *bilancia a pair of scales, f. cl.L. bilanx, bilanc-em, adj. (in libra bilanx) ‘two-scaled,’ f. bi- twice + lanx flat plate, scale.]
I. Literal senses.
1. An apparatus for weighing, consisting of a beam poised so as to move freely on a central pivot, with a scale pan at each end.
[c. 1275. in Liber Albus, I. 226. Deit estre peise par balaunce le Roy.
1297. Lib. Custum., 107. (Probatio Tronæ.) Silvester de Farnham custos balanciæ Domini Regis.]
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 947. Wel y understande whider þe balaunce bowes.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Monkes T., 508. And in a balaunce weyen eche mountaine.
c. 1450. in Wright’s Voc., 227. Bilanx, belans.
1494. Act in Hen. VII., iv. In every City … should be a common Balance, with common Weights.
1573. Bible (Bishops’), Prov. xvi. 11. A true weight and ballaunce are the Lordes iudgement.
1635. N. Carpenter, Geog. Del., I. ii. 31. The Bilanz or Ballance.
1771. Junius Lett., lii. 266. We incline the balance … by lessening the weight in one scale.
1881. N. T. (Revised), Rev. vi. 5. He had a balance in his hand [1611 a pair of balances].
† 2. sing. One scale of a balance; pl. ‘scales.’
a. with pl. balances. Obs. or dial.
1388. Wyclif, Ps. lxii. 9. The sones of men ben liers in balauncis.
a. 1450. Knt. de la Tour (1868), 65. Alle her good dedes in the same balaunce … and alle her evelle dedes in that other balaunce.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., V. ii. 35. Weighed out in ballaunces.
1611. Bible, Rev. vi. 5. A paire of balances in his hand.
1645. Digby, Nat. Bodies, iii. (1658), 19. Take a pinte of air; and weigh it against a pinte of water, and you will see the ballance of the last go down a main.
† b. The plural was sometimes balance. (Partly due to final -s, -ce, partly to confusion of sense.) Obs.
c. 1430. Lydg., Min. Poems, 141. Weyed in ballaunce.
1596. Shaks., Merch. V., IV. i. 255. Are there ballance heere to weigh the flesh?
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., II. i. § 6 I. 138. In one Hand … a Red Rose, in the other a pair of Ballance.
† 3. A flat dish resembling a scale; L. lanx. Obs.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, XII. iv. 142. Syne furth of platis or ballancis beliue, Wyth pasit flesch plenist the altaris.
4. a. One of the zodiacal constellations (more commonly called Libra). b. The seventh sign of the Zodiac ♎, into which the sun enters at the autumnal equinox.
In the time of Hipparchus, B.C. 130, the sign corresponded with the constellation, whence the name; but owing to the precession of the equinoxes, its first point is now far in the west of the constellation Virgo.
1488. Caxton, Chast. Goddes Chyld., 19. A planete that men call libra that is as moche to say as a balaunce.
c. 1500. Almanak (for 1386), 2. Saturn es exalted in þe 20 gre of þe Balaunce.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., I. 46. And seated near the Ballance, poise the Days.
1831. Carlyle, Sart. Res., II. i. The celestial Balance.
5. By recent extension: Any apparatus used in weighing, whether acting by leverage, or by the resistance of a spring.
1829. U. K. S., Nat. Philos., I. Mech., II. v. § 45. The Danish balance is a steel-yard. Ibid. (1832), II. Electr., iv. § 74. The most perfect electrometer for measuring very small quantities of electricity, is … the torsion balance.
6. Watchmaking, A mechanical contrivance which regulates the speed of a clock or watch.
1660. Boyle, New Exp. Phys.-Mech., xxvii. 206. The noise made by the ballance.
1727. Pope, etc., Art of Sinking, xiii. In Clock-making, one Artist makes the Balance, another the Spring, [etc.].
1884. F. Britten, Watch & Clockm., 15. Gold balances are preferable to steel.
b. A pendulum. Obs. rare.
1647. H. More, Song of Soul, Notes 152/2. The nearer you place the lead to the centre, the swifter the balance moves.
7. Naut. The operation or result of reefing with a BALANCE-REEF: see 22.
1762–9. Falconer, Shipwr., II. 387. The head, with doubling canvas fenced around, In balance near the lofty peak they bound. Ibid., Dict. Marine (1789), s.v., The balance of the mizen is thus performed.
¶ Confused with BALLAST. (Cf. also BALLACE.)
1548. Udall, etc., Erasm. Par. John, 5. No otherwyse than the balans dothe staye the shippes in tyme of tempest.
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Balasse, ballast, or ballance.
II. Figurative senses.
8. The metaphorical balance of justice, reason, opinion, by which actions and principles are weighed or estimated.
c. 1384. Chaucer, Mother of God, 20. The fende … wil pluk at the balance To wey vs doun.
1573. Scot. Poems 16th C. (1801), II. 297. Beir equal ballanis baith to riche and puir.
1590. Shaks., Mids. N., V. 324. A Moth wil turne the ballance, which Piramus which Thisby is the better.
1732. Pope, Ess. Man, I. 121. Snatch from his hands the balance and the rod, Rejudge his justice, be the God of God!
1852. Tupper, Proverb. Philos., 288. Who … poised in the balances of order the power to attract and to repel?
† b. One scale of the balance. Obs.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., III. iv. 87. But in the Ballance of great Bullingbrooke, Besides himselfe, are all the English Peeres.
1635. Quarles, Embl., I. iv. (1718), 17. Put in the triple crown Thy balance will not draw: thy balance will not down.
9. The wavering balance of Fortune or chance, in which issues hang in suspense.
c. 1320. Syr Bevis, 1559. Almest is lif was in balaunse.
a. 1420. Occleve, De Reg. Princ., 60. Best is I strive nat Ageyn the peys of fortunes balaunce.
1577. Holinshed, Chron., I. 34/2. The victorie depended long in doubtfull balance.
1612. Woodall, Surg. Mate, Wks. (1653), 24. Mens lives hang in the ballance.
1718. Pope, Iliad, XXII. 271. Jove lifts the golden balances, that show The fates of mortal men.
† 10. Hence: a. Subjective uncertainty; hesitation, wavering, doubt. Obs.
1297. R. Glouc., 200. Hii were syker al, wyþoute balance.
1340. Ayenb., 30. Hy byeth ine greate balance of hyre helþe of zaule.
1483. Caxton, G. de la Tour, G viij b. As they were in suche balaunces theyr child deyde.
1683. Temple, Mem., Wks. 1731, I. 439. Our Counsels at Court were so in ballance, between the Desires of living at least fair with France, and the Fears of too much displeasing the Parliaments.
† b. Objective uncertainty or suspense; risk, hazard.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron., 156. Ten þousand mark & mo, þat now er in balance.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Chan. Yeom. Prol. & T., 58. I dar lay in balaunce Al that I have in my possessioun.
a. 1450. Knt. de la Tour (1868), 56. A woman puttithe her worshipe in balance to ansuere and speke to moche.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. cccxiii. 478. For the loue of me ye haue put in balance your landes.
1685. Burnet, trans. More’s Utop., 129. On whom … they cast the chief Balance of the War.
11. Power to decide or determine; authoritative control.
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 381. There is a state … Above all other on erthe here, Which hath the londe in his balaunce.
1579. Fenton, Guicciard. (1599), Ep. Ded. God hath … put into your hands the ballance of power.
1760. Robertson, Hist. Scot., I. (1831), 75. Henry viii. of England held the balance with less delicacy, but with a stronger hand.
III. That which balances, or produces equilibrium.
12. A weight put into one scale to equal the preponderating weight in the other, and produce equilibrium; a counterpoise. Hence fig. a thing of equal influence, importance or value; a counter-consideration, set-off, match.
1601. Shaks., All’s Well, II. iii. 183. To whom I promise A counterpoize: If not to thy estate, A ballance more repleat.
1659. Neville, in Burton’s Diary (1828), IV. 25. You give them salaries to be your balance.
1723. Wodrow, Corr. (1843), III. 75. A sweet balance, yea, an overbalance, in sweet communion with God.
1876. Green, Short Hist., vii. § 6 (1882), 404. If France … had ceased to be a balance to Spain, she found a new balance in Flanders.
IV. A balanced condition.
13. A condition in which two (or more) opposing forces balance each other; equilibrium: a. of things ponderable.
1713. Derham, Phys.-Theol., 14, note. Such Alterations in the æquipoise or ballance of the Atmosphere.
1878. Geo. Eliot, Coll. Breakf. P., 283. The balance of the planets and the sun.
b. of things imponderable.
1642. Sir T. Browne, Relig. Med., II. § 1. 136. Where I find their actions in ballance with my Country-men’s, I honour … them.
a. 1718. Penn, Tracts, Wks. 1726, I. 693. Two Degrees of Cold, to two of Heat, make a Poyze in Elements, and a Ballance in Nature.
1869. J. Martineau, Ess., II. 110. The perfect balance of the two elements of consciousness.
c. Balance of power (in Europe): such an adjustment of power among sovereign states that no single state is in a position to interfere with the independence of the rest; international equilibrium.
[See 1579 in 11: ballance of power.]
1677. Yarranton, Eng. Impr., To Reader. Great danger might ensue in breaking the Ballance of Europe.
1701. in Lond. Gaz., No. 3758/7. Your Glorious Design of Re-establishing a just Ballance of Power in Europe.
1761. Churchill, Night, Poems I. 88. Europe’s balance hangs upon his tongue.
1862. Stanley, Jew. Ch. (1877), I. xi. 204. The battle of Lutzen which determined the balance of power between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism in Germany.
14. General harmony between the parts of anything, springing from the observance of just proportion and relation; esp. in the Arts of Design.
1732. Pope, Ess. Man, II. 120. These mix’d with art … Make and maintain the balance of the mind.
1856. Ruskin, Mod. Paint., III. I. viii. In all perfectly beautiful objects, there is found the opposition of one part to another, and a reciprocal balance. Ibid. (1883), Art of England, i. 11. Absolutely faithful balances of colour and shade.
1884. Sat. Rev., 14 June, 778/1. She has in no way attempted to alter the balance of the characters [in a play].
15. Stability or steadiness due to the equilibrium prevailing between all the forces of any system.
a. Physical equipoise, perfectly balanced action.
1667. Milton, P. L., I. 349. In even ballance down they light.
1840. Dickens, Old C. Shop, xxiii. Swayed himself to and fro to preserve his balance.
1859. Helps, Friends in C., Ser. II. II. viii. 167. But lost his own balance and fell out of the boat.
b. Equipoise of mind, character or feelings; equanimity, mental composure, sanity.
1856. Kane, Arct. Expl., I. xvi. 198. If my mind had retained its balance.
1876. Mozley, Univ. Serm., xvi. 266. A strong moral character … keeps its balance, and is not carried away by the love of human praise.
V. The turn of the balance.
16. The preponderating weight; the net result of estimating conflicting principles, forces, etc.
1747. Chesterf., Lett., 121. I. 327. This pleasure will increase so that the balance will be greatly to your advantage.
1844. Ld. Brougham, Brit. Const., xv. (1861), 219. The balance of evidence appears in favour of the due execution.
1856. Froude, Hist. Eng. (1858), I. iii. 267. In Germany … the balance of unjust interference lay on the imperial side.
VI. The adjustment of accounts.
17. The process of finding the difference, if any, between the Dr. and Cr. sides of an account, or set of accounts; the exhibition of this process in a tabular form; the result so ascertained or exhibited.
1588. Mellis, Briefe Instr., F viij b. The ballance of your booke is to be vnderstoode, a leafe of paper disposed and made in length and crossed in the middes, etc…. Yf the summes of money, of Debitor and Creditor bee like, than is your ballance well.
1662. Pepys, Diary, 30 Sept. I have also made up … my monthly ballance and find that … I am worth £680.
1727. Arbuthnot, John Bull, 90. John … brought in Frog debtor to him upon the balance, £3382 12s.
1882. Daily Tel., 4 May, 4/3. £160,000 has been taken out on balance for export.
b. esp. To strike a balance: to determine the exact difference, if any, between the two sides of an account or set of accounts. lit. and fig.
1638. Wilkins, New World, 1. Those rewards and punishments by which … the balance of good and evil in this life is to be struck.
1874. Blackie, Self-Cult., 87. Not to run long accounts, but to strike clear balances at certain set seasons.
c. gen. A comparative reckoning. rare.
1719. W. Wood, Surv. Trade, 67. This Nation gained upon a Balance of the Ships taken from us, and the Captures we made of the Enemy.
1861. J. Pycroft, Agony Point, xliii. 364. The blessings of the Langley Cottage, whether greater or less upon the balance, were of a kind not known at Langley Hall.
d. Balance of trade: the estimation of the difference of value between the commercial exports and imports of a country; the difference itself, as it is in favor of, or against, the country.
1668. Child, Disc. Trade (1694), 164. The Ballance of Trade … is to be taken by a strict scrutiny of what proportion the value of the Commodities exported out of this Kingdom bear, to those imported.
1721. C. King, Brit. Merch., II. 12. Portugal pays us a Million every Year upon the Ballance of Trade.
1830. Edinb. Encycl., IV. 370. The exploded doctrine of a balance of trade.
1879. Fawcett, Free Trade & Prot., 18. Granting bounties on exports … with a view of creating a favourable balance of trade.
18. An equality between the total of the two sides of an account, when added up, after making all entries on both sides. Cf. 13.
165[?]. Pepys, Diary (1879), IV. 139. I do bring my accounts to a very near balance.
1881. Gladstone, in Times, 8 Oct., 6/4. While we exported £8,860,000, we imported £8,509,000. That is very nearly a balance.
19. The difference between the Dr. and Cr. sides of an account, or set of accounts.
1622. Malynes, Anc. Law-Merch., 370. Take all the remainders of the Accounts by Debitor and Creditor, which is the ballance of the Booke.
1819. J. Greig, Rep. Acc. Edin., 7. The balance shews the increase of the City’s debts.
1866. Crump, Banking, iii. 76. Such arrangements may continue for years without the balance ever being a credit-balance.
b. Balance (of indebtedness): the difference between the total amounts that two persons, societies or nations mutually owe each other.
1786. Burke, Art. agst. Hastings, xv. § 1. The enormous balances and remissions on that settlement arose from a general collusion between the farmers and collectors.
1818. Byron, Juan, I. clxvii. We … draw the accompts of evil, And find a deuced balance with the devil.
1866. Crump, Banking, vii. 157. The fundamental principle, upon which the price of bills rests in the ‘balance of indebtedness.’
20. a. Balance (in hand): the sum of money remaining over after realizing all assets and discharging all liabilities. b. Balance (due): the sum still outstanding on an account.
1720. Lond. Gaz., No. 5842/4. A Bill for the Ballance of his Victualling Account.
1761. Hume, Hist. Eng., I. viii. 175. He required him … to pay the balance due.
1768. Smollett, Humph. Cl., Let. 3 Oct. Thou hast indeed paid me ‘scot and lot’: and even left a balance in my hands.
1828. Tytler, Hist. Scot. (1864), I. 221. The large balance of the ransom which still remained unpaid.
1876. Hamerton, Intell. Life, II. i. 44. A delightful balance at his bankers.
21. Comm. slang: The remainder, the rest.
1864. in Webster.
1875. Blackw. Mag., April, 443. Balance, long familiar to American ears, is becoming so to ours. In an account of a ship on fire we read ‘Those saved remained the balance of the night watching the burning wreck.’
1883. P. Fitzgerald, Recreat. Lit. Man, 170. Every one is away shooting or riding; a balance of the ladies is left.
22. Comb. balance-beam, the beam of a balance, also the beam keeping a drawbridge balanced aloft; balance-bob (see quot.); balance-fish, the hammer-headed shark (Squalus zygæna); balance-frame (see quot.); balance-knife, a table-knife of which the handle is made sufficiently heavy to keep the blade from touching the cloth; balance-man, one who acts as an equipoise and preserves the balance; balance-master, -mistress, a posture-maker, tumbler, ‘equilibrist’; balance-reef, the closest reef of a lower fore-and-aft sail, making it nearly triangular, used to steady the ship in stormy weather, whence balance-reefed; balance-seat, a mode of riding in which the body is balanced in the saddle without support from the stirrups; balance-sheet, a tabular statement of assets and liabilities, showing the character and amount of the balance; balance-step (= GOOSE-STEP); balance-wise adv., in the manner of a balance; balance-yard, the beam of a balance. Also balance-holder, -maker, etc., and many attrib. combinations in Watchmaking (see 4), as balance-arc, -cock, -spring, -staff, -wheel (also fig.).
1813. Scott, Triermain, I. xv. The *balance-beams obey’d the blast, And down the trembling drawbridge cast.
c. 1865. J. Wylde, in Circ. Sc., I. 404/1. Excess of weight … may … damage the balance-beam.
1881. Raymond, Mining Gloss., *Balance-bob, a heavy lever ballasted at one end, and attached at the other to the pump-rod, the weight of which it thus helps to carry.
1683–4. Robinson, in Phil. Trans., XXIX. 479. The Zygæna or *Ballance Fish, as large as the Saw Fish.
1815. Encycl. Brit., XI. 107. Hammer-headed shark, or balance-fish.
c. 1850. Rudim. Nav., 9. *Balance frames, those frames, or bends of timber, of the same capacity or area, which are equally distant from the centre of gravity.
1880. Muirhead, Gaius, II. § 107. What has been said about witnesses applies equally to the *balance-holder.
1833. J. Holland, Manuf. Metal, II. 14. The fabrication of what are called *balance knives.
1611. Cotgr., Balancier, a *ballance-maker.
1828. Steuart, Planter’s G., 251. Sending up a couple of *Balancemen to the top; who … serve as movable makeweights.
1753. Hogarth, Anal. Beauty, xv. 210. The *balance-master’s attention to a single point, in order to preserve his balance.
1801. Strutt, Sports & Past., III. V. (1845), 231. Tymbesteres, or *balance-mistresses.
1840. R. H. Dana, Bef. Mast, v. 10. Under close-reefed topsails, *balance-reefed trysail.
1873. Daily News, 21 May, 5/6. That patent hernia-producing institution, the *balance-seat.
1849. Cobden, Speeches, 4. The *balance-sheets of our merchants and manufacturers have been equally adverse.
1853. (13 Oct.) Bright, Peace, Sp. (1876), 462. If a balance-sheet could be shown of what Algeria has cost France.
1833. Regul. Instr. Cavalry, I. 16. The *balance step in double time.
1884. F. Britten, Watch & Clockm., 246. The *balance spring has then to be unpinned every time the *balance staff is removed.
1690. Lond. Gaz., No. 2550/4. A Silver *Ballance-Watch.
1655. Marq. Worcester, Cent. Inv., xx. How to bring up water *Balance-wise.
1669. Phil. Trans., IV. 937. Watches, which instead of a *Ballance-wheele are regulated by a Pendulum.
1863. Mrs. C. Clarke, Shaks. Char., viii. 212. Fabian … is the balance-wheel between the other two, to keep them in check.
1810. Coleridge, Friend (1865), 35. The other scale … seemed full up to the very *balance-yard.
