ballast

[ bal-uhst ]

noun

1. Nautical. any heavy material carried temporarily or permanently in a vessel to provide desired draft and stability.
2. Aeronautics. something heavy, as bags of sand, placed in the car of a balloon for control of altitude and, less often, of attitude, or placed in an aircraft to control the position of the center of gravity.
3. anything that gives mental, moral, or political stability or steadiness:

   the ballast of a steady income.

4. gravel, broken stone, slag, etc., placed between and under the ties of a railroad to give stability, provide drainage, and distribute loads.
5. Electricity.
   1. Also called bal·last re·sis·tor [bal, -, uh, st ri-zis-ter]. a device, often a resistor, that maintains the current in a circuit at a constant value by varying its resistance in order to counteract changes in voltage.
   2. a device that maintains the current through a fluorescent or mercury lamp at the desired constant value, sometimes also providing the necessary starting voltage and current.

verb (used with object)

1. to furnish with ballast:

   to ballast a ship.

2. to give steadiness to; keep steady:

   parental responsibilities that ballast a person.

ballast

/ ˈbæləst /

noun

1. any dense heavy material, such as lead or iron pigs, used to stabilize a vessel, esp one that is not carrying cargo
2. crushed rock, broken stone, etc, used for the foundation of a road or railway track
3. coarse aggregate of sandy gravel, used in making concrete
4. anything that provides stability or weight
5. electronics a device for maintaining the current in a circuit

verb

1. to give stability or weight to

Other Words From

• bal·last·er noun
• bal·last·ic [b, uh, -, las, -tik], adjective
• o·ver·bal·last verb (used with object)
• sub·bal·last noun
• un·der·bal·last verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of ballast¹

1450–1500; < Middle Low German, perhaps ultimately < Scandinavian; compare Old Danish, Old Swedish barlast, equivalent to bar bare ¹ + last load; last ⁴

Word History and Origins

Origin of ballast¹

C16: probably from Low German; related to Old Danish, Old Swedish barlast , literally: bare load (without commercial value), from bar bare, mere + last load, burden

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. in ballast, Nautical. carrying only ballast; carrying no cargo.

Example Sentences

The species has colonized new regions when transported on ships’ hulls or in ballast water that is drained in ports.

From Los Angeles Times

In each country where the mussels have taken over, the initial introduction also appeared to be from ships — on the hulls or from ballast water release.

From Los Angeles Times

The savings would be delivered through lower design speeds, ballasted track, UK rather than European standard cross-sections and building on the existing rail network.

From BBC

Mr Williams said it was important the stones do not get depleted as the existing stones "came from all over the world and it was used as ballast" for the coal industry.

From BBC

May makes the story her own, losing Simon’s penchant for shtick and leaning on her actors for emotional ballast.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• equilibrium

More About Ballast

What does ballast mean?

In general, ballast means something that provides stability or weight.

In a specific sense, it’s most commonly used to refer to heavy material used to stabilize a vessel, such as a ship, especially when it’s not carrying cargo. It also refers to the crushed rock used for the foundation of railroad tracks and paved roads. In electronics, ballast refers to a device that maintains the current in a circuit.

Ballast can also be used as a verb meaning to provide a ship with a material for ballast. In a more general sense, it can mean to keep steady or give stability to, including in a metaphorical way. Ballast can also be used metaphorically as a noun, especially in the context of mental, emotional, political, or economic stability.

Example: The ship’s ballast was improperly secured and caused the ship to list in the water.

Where does ballast come from?

The first records of ballast come from the 1400s. It comes from Middle Low German and is related to the Old Swedish word barlast, which literally means “bare load.”

When a ship is fully loaded with cargo, the weight of the cargo helps the ship to be stable in the water. Without cargo, it needs ballast. This can take many forms, such as stones or lead. (Sometimes, ballast is a permanent feature of a ship, such as a ballast tank that holds water.) In smaller vessels, the crew members themselves might suffice as ballast (called live ballast). Ballast is not limited to ships. In hot air balloons, those bags of sand attached to the car (the basket) are ballast.

Have you ever noticed the layer of stones under railroad tracks? They’re there for ballast, to provide the foundation for the track (gravel or crushed rock is also used as ballast in the base layer of a paved road). In a railroad track, the stone ballast helps with drainage and prevents plants from growing inside the tracks, too.

Ballast can also be used in a figurative way to refer to something that provides balance or stability in life or a specific situation, as in It helps to have a hobby to act as ballast during stressful times.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to ballast?

• ballaster (noun)
• ballastic (adjective)
• overballast (verb)
• subballast (noun)

What are some synonyms for ballast?

• equilibrium

What are some words that share a root or word element with ballast? 

 

• laden
• last
• bare

What are some words that often get used in discussing ballast?

 

• ship
• load
• weight
• balance
• stability
• cargo
• railroad
• track

How is ballast used in real life?

You’ll most often see ballast used in the context of ships and other vessels. Unless it’s used metaphorically, it’s typically discussed in a technical way.

Officer's mess, cargo hold, and ballast. The ship was literally loaded with stones to stabilize it in the water. pic.twitter.com/R5QgGZLscT

— Andrew Rader (@marsrader) August 30, 2019

#DYK shipping vessels can carry aquatic #InvasiveSpecies? ⛵❌ Find out from our research scientist, Dr. Sarah Bailey, how ballast water is one of the top pathways for the spread of aquatic invasive species. Learn more: https://t.co/pp69B5XqOm #InvSpWk pic.twitter.com/SlflDd1zkL

— Fisheries and Oceans (@FishOceansCAN) February 24, 2020

Last weekend, we had cranes in the station laying panels of new track and we also had a big delivery of ballast! 🏗️ 🚉

Thank you for your patience whilst we continue to transform the East Coast Main Line.

For more, visit:
➡️ https://t.co/ruLurxyWvg#EastCoastUpgrade #ECML pic.twitter.com/5prbQbRbs9

— London King's Cross (@NetworkRailKGX) February 18, 2020

 

 

Try using ballast!

Is ballast used correctly in the following sentence?

The ballast keeps the hot air balloon stable so it can be better controlled while in the air.