balloon

[ buh-loon ]

noun

1. a bag made of thin rubber or other light material, usually brightly colored, inflated with air or with some lighter-than-air gas and used as a children's plaything or as a decoration.
2. a bag made of a light material, as silk or plastic, filled with heated air or a gas lighter than air, designed to rise and float in the atmosphere and often having a car or gondola attached below for carrying passengers or scientific instruments.
3. (in drawings, cartoons, etc.) a balloon-shaped outline enclosing words represented as issuing from the mouth of the speaker.
4. an ornamental ball at the top of a pillar, pier, or the like.
5. a large, globular wineglass.
6. Chemistry Now Rare. a round-bottomed flask.

verb (used without object)

1. to go up or ride in a balloon.
2. to swell or puff out like a balloon.
3. to multiply or increase at a rapid rate:

   Membership has ballooned beyond all expectations.

verb (used with object)

1. to fill with air; inflate or distend (something) like a balloon.

adjective

1. puffed out like a balloon:

   balloon sleeves.

2. Finance. (of a loan, mortgage, or the like) having a payment at the end of the term that is much bigger than previous ones.

balloon

/ bəˈluːn /

noun

1. an inflatable rubber bag of various sizes, shapes, and colours: usually used as a plaything or party decoration
2. a large impermeable bag inflated with a lighter-than-air gas, designed to rise and float in the atmosphere. It may have a basket or gondola for carrying passengers, etc See also barrage balloon hot-air balloon
3. a circular or elliptical figure containing the words or thoughts of a character in a cartoon
4. 1. a kick or stroke that propels a ball high into the air
   2. ( as modifier )

      a balloon shot

5. chem a round-bottomed flask
6. a large rounded brandy glass
7. commerce
   1. a large sum paid as an irregular instalment of a loan repayment
   2. ( as modifier )

      a balloon loan

8. surgery
   1. an inflatable plastic tube used for dilating obstructed blood vessels or parts of the alimentary canal
   2. ( as modifier )

      balloon angioplasty

9. go down like a lead balloon informal.
   to be completely unsuccessful or unpopular
10. when the balloon goes up informal.
    when the trouble or action begins

verb

1. intr to go up or fly in a balloon
2. intr to increase or expand significantly and rapidly

   losses ballooned to £278 million

3. to inflate or be inflated; distend; swell

   the wind ballooned the sails

4. tr to propel (a ball) high into the air

Derived Forms

• balˈlooning, noun
• balˈloon-ˌlike, adjective
• balˈloonist, noun

Other Words From

• bal·loonlike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of balloon¹

1570–80; < Upper Italian ballone, equivalent to ball ( a ) (< Langobardic; ball ¹ ) + -one augmentative suffix; or < Middle French ballon < Upper Italian

Word History and Origins

Origin of balloon¹

C16 (in the sense: ball, ball game): from Italian dialect ballone , from balla , of Germanic origin; compare Old High German balla ball ¹

Idioms and Phrases

In addition to the idiom beginning with balloon , also see go over (like a lead balloon) ; trial balloon .

Example Sentences

The higher wages, it said, would balloon hotels’ labor costs so much that sticking to the terms of the deal would be untenable.

From Los Angeles Times

When he was sworn in again as a lawmaker in 2016, he released a balloon with a political banner and held a yellow umbrella, declaring that the “Umbrella Movement would never end”.

From BBC

That came after the two countries engaged in a tit-for-tat balloon campaign, flying thousands of trash and propaganda balloons towards each other’s territories.

From BBC

In China and India - the two biggest international markets for Australia - the news is going down like a lead balloon.

From BBC

Biden's time in office did see flare-ups in relations with China, including a spy balloon saga and displays of Chinese military firepower around Taiwan triggered by the visit of a senior US official.

From BBC

Related Words

• blimp