balance1 nounbalance2 verb
balancebal‧ance1 /ˈbæləns/ ●●● S2 W2 noun 
WORD ORIGINbalance1
Origin:
1200-1300 Old French, Vulgar Latin bilancia, from Late Latin bilanx ‘having two pans’, from Latin lanx ‘plate’EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- A walking stick is good for balance on rough trails.
- Her practicality acts as a balance to this wild inventiveness.
- Migration plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance between population and resources.
- Riding a bike helps develop a child's sense of balance.
- Take care to achieve a balance between career and home life.
- The biological balance is upset by over-intensive farming.
- When dealing with his staff, Mr Allen somehow managed to strike the right balance between being sympathetic and businesslike.
- You need a great sense of balance to be an acrobat.
- Does the school have the right balance of ages, abilities and genders?
- Finding the right balance between cooperation and competition has been the goal and bane of Western politics for centuries.
- Meanwhile, with its future hanging in the balance, Fokker is starting to feel the pinch.
- On balance, however, Gramm should still win.
- The sense of balance is put at peril.
- The show hinges on this excruciating balance, hanging on Pennington's earnest performance.
Longman Language Activatorto remain steady and not fall
to remain steady and not fall, especially when this is difficult to do: · The beam is very narrow - you may find it difficult to balance.balance on: · Balancing awkwardly on one leg, he lowered himself into his wheelchair.balance precariously (=balance in a very dangerous position): · An angel was balancing precariously on top of the Christmas tree.
to manage to remain steady and not fall, especially when something happens to nearly make you fall: · The horse tried to throw her off but she managed to keep her balance.· It's hard enough just keeping my balance on ice, let alone actually skating on it.
completely balanced so that there is no chance of falling: · She held on to hand rails to keep herself steady.· We need a steady platform above the waves before we can start drilling.
to make something balance on a point or surface · Balancing my cup of coffee in one hand, I managed to open the door.balance something on something · His favourite party trick is balancing tin cans on his head.· We tried to balance the aerial on top of the TV set, but it kept falling over.
to make something or someone become balanced again, especially when they were falling over: · When she looked as though she was going to fall, Eddie's arm immediately went out to steady her.· He stood up, holding on to the desk to steady himself.
the ability to remain steady and not fall · A walking stick is good for balance on rough trails.sense of balance · You need a great sense of balance to be an acrobat.
to become unsteady and start to fall to suddenly become unsteady and start to fall: · Put your arms out to the side so that you don't lose your balance.· She ran after the dog, lost her balance, and fell flat on her face.
if someone or something totters or teeters they move unsteadily from side to side and look as if they are going to fall: · I could feel the tray tottering and suddenly all the drinks crashed to the floor.· His chair teetered back dangerously on two legs.
to move unsteadily from side to side: · She bumped the table and the glasses wobbled.· "Who could that be?" the old man said as he wobbled toward the door.
unsteady and likely to fall someone who is unsteady is unable to balance properly, for example because of illness, old age or too much alcohol: · For a few moments he was pale and unsteady but his colour gradually returned.· He walked with the unsteady gait of an old man.unsteady on your feet: · She'll be a little unsteady on her feet until the anaesthetic wears off.
something that is unstable is unsteady because it is too big for the thing supporting it or not properly fastened to something, so that it is dangerous: · That scaffolding looks unstable - get all the building workers off the site immediately.
not safe and likely to fall down - use this especially about things or people that are in high places: · The bottle was in a precarious position on the edge of the table.· Are you sure he's safe on that ladder? It looks very precarious up there.
feeling unsteady and unable to balance feeling as if everything is spinning around you and unable to balance: · Sometimes I get dizzy at the top of staircases and escalators.· If you feel dizzy or short of breath, stop exercising immediately.
feeling unsteady and unable to balance, sometimes with the result that you want to be sick: · She suddenly felt giddy and had to find somewhere to sit down.
if someone's head is swimming they feel unsteady, unable to see properly, and as though the room is spinning around them very quickly, for example because they are ill or drunk: · My head was swimming, and the floor seemed to be moving up and down.
when two amounts, levels, etc are equal: balance between · Take care to achieve a balance between career and home life.· Migration plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance between population and resources.strike a balance/strike the right balance (=succeed in finding a balance) · When dealing with his staff, Mr Allen somehow managed to strike the right balance between being sympathetic and businesslike. upset the balance (=change and harm the balance) · The biological balance is upset by over-intensive farming.
a state in which two or more forces, such as temperature and pressure, remain at a particular level, but would all change if any one of them were changed - used especially in technical or scientific contexts: maintain an equilibrium: · The operation of the free market maintains an equilibrium between supply, demand and price.be in equilibrium (=be balanced, equal etc): · The temperature at which the solid and liquid are in equilibrium is called the freezing point.
to make two numbers, amounts, situations etc equal · As a parent trying to balance home and career, it's very difficult to find time for a social life.balance something with something · No government so far has been able to balance the number of jobs available with the number of people out of work.
also equalise British to change things so that people are treated equally, especially in their employment: · The Association of Women Teachers in New York fought to equalize male and female pay.· Miners demanded a standard rate throughout the country to equalize wages.
if two amounts, numbers etc balance out , they become equal or have an equal effect, especially if this happens over a fairly long period of time: · Sometimes we have a slight loss and sometimes a slight surplus, but over time they balance out.· Sometimes I do the cooking and sometimes John does - so in the end it all balances out.
if two amounts, or levels even out or you even them out , the differences between them gradually become smaller: even out something: · On cold days the device periodically provides a burst of hot air, to even out the air temperature.even something out: · We want to even the workload out a little, so that no one has more than they can handle.
to achieve a situation in which you give the correct amount of attention and importance to two opposing activities or ideas: · Most reporters are either violently for or violently against the government, but some try to strike a balance.strike a balance between: · School children have to learn to strike a balance between work and play.· Prison reformers are trying to strike a balance between punishing offenders and helping them to avoid repeating their offences.
to make a situation equal or fair again after it has not been fair or equal: · Eventually, if the population of one species rises too much a new epidemic will come along to redress the balance.· Gypsies have often been portrayed as lawless savages, and the film tries to redress the balance by showing their culture as it really is.
to replace or balance something good that has been lost or something bad that has been done, by providing or doing something good: · Nothing they can do will make up for the damage they have caused.· He had to work twice as hard as the other children to make up for his lack of natural ability.more than make up for (=make up for something very well): · The weather was a bit cold, but the beautiful scenery more than made up for it.
to replace or balance something good that has been lost or is lacking, by providing or doing something equally good: · Ray tries to compensate for his shyness by telling a lot of jokes.· It is hoped that the new car's style and design will compensate for its lack of speed.· Failures in this area will have to be compensated for by successes in other areas.
to almost fall from a standing position also trip over British to accidentally hit something with your foot when you are walking or running, so that you fall or nearly fall: · I didn't push him - he tripped.· She'd had quite a lot to drink and kept tripping over.trip over: · Pick up that box -- someone might trip over it.trip on: · Her medical problems began when she tripped on a rug and broke her hip.trip and fall: · One boy tripped and fell into the water.
to accidentally slide on a wet or smooth surface, so that you fall or nearly fall: · Be careful you don't slip - the floor's wet.slip on : · She slipped on the icy sidewalk and grabbed Will's arm to steady herself.slip and fall: · I walked slowly through the mud, trying not to slip and fall.
to nearly fall down when you are walking or running, because you do not put your foot down carefully or because something is in the way: · In her hurry, Eva stumbled and dropped the tray she was carrying.stumble on/over: · Mason headed towards the house, stumbling on the rough ground.
to fall or nearly fall, when you need to balance carefully to remain in an upright position, for example when you are standing on a ladder or riding a bicycle: · I tried to help Gina up, but I lost my balance and we both fell into the stream.· Bill was leaning over to watch, and lost his balance.
to lose your balance because your foot slips, especially when you are walking or climbing over an uneven or slippery surface: · I lost my footing on the snowy bank and fell into the river.· A climber who lost his footing was taken to hospital with serious injuries.
ways of expressing a general opinion spoken use this to give your opinion about what is true, what is best, or what people should do, in most cases: · In general I like cats better than dogs.· Generally, t-shirts are the best things for kids to wear almost anywhere.· I think generally speaking that the rural schools provide a better environment for the students.
spoken use this when you have considered the whole of a situation, including the bad parts, and you are saying what you think or feel about it in general: · It's been a hard year, but on the whole I've learned a lot.· On the whole we're glad we came to live in Vancouver.· All in all, I think the conference was a great success.· All things considered, I'm sure we made the right decision.
formal, informal use this to give an opinion after considering all the arguments for and against that opinion: · On balance I think it would be better to cancel the arrangements.· Students have been very responsible, on balance, when choosing courses to provide a broad education.
when a situation is uncertain, and something bad may happen · The situation on the island is still very uncertain and the army is on full alert.· The long-term benefits of the treatment are extremely uncertain.· The economic outlook is so uncertain that I would think carefully before investing any money.highly uncertain (=very uncertain) · The company faces a highly uncertain future.
to be uncertain and likely to be bad: · The result of the President's re-election campaign remains doubtful.· With more and more cuts in government spending, the program's future now seems doubtful.it is doubtful if/whether: · It is doubtful if she will survive the operation.· It is extremely doubtful whether the aid is actually reaching the people who need it most.it is doubtful that: · It is doubtful that the governor's proposed tax increase will be popular with voters.
if someone or something's future or success is in doubt , it seems very uncertain and they may not be able to continue or to succeed: · After yet another injury, his football career is in doubt.· The building's future remained in doubt until the government agreed to restore it.
spoken you say it's touch and go when a situation seems extremely uncertain and you are worried that something may not happen in the way you want: · It was touch and go for a few hours, but we were able to get everything out of the basement before it flooded.· An urgent operation was needed to save his life, and doctors said it was touch and go until the end of the procedure.it's touch and go whether: · Traffic was really heavy, and for a while it was touch and go whether they'd get to the wedding on time.
if something is in the balance or hangs in the balance , there is a risk that something bad will happen so that it will not continue: · The survival of the African elephant hangs in the balance.· His career as a politician hung in the balance.· I can't say what the outcome of the talks will be -- they're very much in the balance at the moment.
spoken informal use this to describe a plan or situation that seems uncertain and may not succeed or happen as you want: · "What's happening about your new job?" "The whole thing's rather iffy at the moment."· I was hoping to go to the beach today but it's looking iffy because of the weather.
WORD SETSacceptor, nounA/D, after date, adverbagio, nounAPACS, ARM, Asian Development Bank, nounATM, nounaval, nounbalance, nounbank, nounbank, verbbank account, nounbank balance, nounbankbook, nounbank card, nounbank draft, nounbanker, nounbanker's card, nounbanker's order, nounbank manager, nounbank mandate, bank money, banknote, nounbank rate, nounBBA, nounb/e, blank cheque, nounBoard of Banking Supervision, nounB of E, bounce, verbbuilding society, nounC/A, cap and collar, nouncapital adequacy, nouncard, nouncardholder, nouncash account, cash against documents, nouncash card, nouncash dispenser, nouncashier, nouncash machine, nouncash management, Cashpoint, nouncash ratio, central bank, nouncertificate of deposit, nouncertificate of protest, nouncharge account, nouncharge card, nouncheckbook, nounchecking account, nounchequebook, nouncheque card, nounCHIPS, CIB, clear, verbclearance, nounclearer, nounclearing bank, nounclearing house, nounClearing House Automated Payment System, nounClearing House Interbank Payments System, nounclient account, CMO, co-manager, nounComptroller of the Currency, nounconfirmed irrevocable credit, credit, verbcredit analysis, credit appraisal, credit control, credit facility, credit rationing, nouncross, verbcrossed cheque, nouncurrent account, nouncustodial account, debit, noundebit, verbdebit card, noundebit note, noundemand account, denomination, noundeposit, noundeposit account, noundeposit certificate, depositor, noundepository institution, deposit protection fund, noundevelopment bank, direct debit, noundirect deposit, noundiscount loan, documentary credit, draft, noundraw, verbeffective rate, EFTPOS, nounendorsee, nounendorser, nounescrow account, Euribor, nounEurodollar, nounEuropean interbank offered rate, export credit, extended credit, face amount, Federal funds, fiduciary, nounfinance charge, financial institution, nounforeign currency account, funder, nounFX, giro, nounhole-in-the-wall, nounidle balance, institutional investment, Issue Department, nounissuer, nounlodgment, nounlong-term credit, loro account, medium-term credit, merchant bank, nounmoney market, nounmoney order, nounnegotiable, adjectivenon-negotiable, adjectivenostro account, note issuance facility, notice account, NOW account, numbered account, overdraft, nounoverfunding, nounoverlend, verbpassbook, nounpayee, nounpaying-in book, nounpaying-in slip, nounpersonal credit, personal identification number, nounPIN, nounpostdate, verbpublic account, R/D, rediscounting, nounreserves, nounrevolving credit, risk analysis, nounsafety-deposit box, nounsave, verbsaver, nounsavings account, nounsavings bank, nounsecured credit, seignorage, nounself-liquidating, adjectiveshort-term credit, smart card, nounstanding order, nounstub, nounsuspense account, Switch card, nounteller, noununsecured credit, vostro account, yield spread,
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY Meaning 1verbs
A small centre party holds the balance of power (=is able to make either side more powerful than the other by supporting them) in the Assembly. The prospects for the country are fairly evenly balanced between peaceful reform and revolution. His future in the job is balanced on a knife-edge. Mr Eyer may lose the sight in one eye. The tour was postponed when the lead singer lost his voice. Julian lost his balance and fell. The sudden movement of the ship knocked them both off balance. a cup of tea balanced precariously on her knee Once she stumbled, but somehow she recovered her balance and carried on running. Affirmative action was meant to redress the balance (=make the situation fair) for minorities. It isn’t always easy to strike the right balance. Crisis situations tend to tilt the balance of power in favour of the president. Three factors helped to tip the balance in favour of the Labour leadership. The chemicals upset the balance of the environment.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE
(=stay steady)· The sea was so rough that it was hard to keep your balance.
(=become unsteady)· She nearly lost her balance as the bus suddenly moved forward.
(=become steady again)· He held onto Carrie until he regained his balance.
· The blow was hard enough to knock him off balance.
phrases· A good sense of balance is always useful when you are sailing.
Meaning 2verbs (=succeed in getting the right balance)· It is necessary to strike a balance between the needs of employers and employees.· Find the right balance between enough exercise and enough rest.
· Try to keep a balance between your spending and your earnings.· A firm must strive to maintain a balance between business and financial risk.
(=make it less equal or correct)· The move could upset the delicate balance of power in the Middle East.
· Will this alter the balance of power in the EU?· His appointment shifted the government’s balance decisively to the right.
(also restore the balance British English) (=make it equal or correct again)· What can be done to redress the balance in favour of women?
adjectives· You should eat a good balance of carbohydrates and protein.· Are you eating a healthy balance of foods?
(=hard to achieve)· Teachers need to strike a fine balance of flexibility and control.
(=easily damaged)· Too much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere upsets the delicate balance of gases.
· With sport, you have to find the right balance between competition and fun.
· Chemicals will upset the natural balance of the pond.
· Human activity is ruining the ecological balance of our planet.
· By this time, the political balance in the Cabinet had altered.
phrases· the European balance of power
· Nothing can justify permanent damage to the balance of nature.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES (=considering everything in a sensible way)· The president spoke in favour of a calm and balanced approach.
A small centre party holds the balance of power (=is able to make either side more powerful than the other by supporting them) in the Assembly. (=the actual amount that you have in your bank account)· I'm just going to check my bank balance online.
(=spend only the money that is available)· the importance of balancing the budget and cutting taxes
(=with a mix of academic and practical subjects)· We want to ensure a balanced curriculum for all pupils.
(=including all the types of food that people need)· A balanced diet is important for a child’s development.
The prospects for the country are fairly evenly balanced between peaceful reform and revolution. His future in the job is balanced on a knife-edge. Mr Eyer may lose the sight in one eye. The tour was postponed when the lead singer lost his voice. Julian lost his balance and fell. (=with some of each type of food, to keep you healthy)· We make healthy, balanced meals for our children.
The sudden movement of the ship knocked them both off balance.· There has been a shift in the balance of power between the two countries.
a cup of tea balanced precariously on her knee (=considering the probability of two or more events)· A decision about removing a child from its parents is made on the balance of probabilities.
Once she stumbled, but somehow she recovered her balance and carried on running. Affirmative action was meant to redress the balance (=make the situation fair) for minorities. (=become steady again, so that you do not fall over)· She staggered a little before regaining her balance.
It isn’t always easy to strike the right balance. Crisis situations tend to tilt the balance of power in favour of the president. Three factors helped to tip the balance in favour of the Labour leadership. The chemicals upset the balance of the environment.· Research has suggested that for blood cells, this lipid asymmetry may help to maintain the delicate balance between haemostasis and thrombosis.· For these folks, temperature control is a delicate balance.· It demands considerable skills to achieve the delicate balance required between the painted finish and the natural grain of the timber.· Good proposal writing is a delicate balance of presenting your intentions in dealing with your research problem.· Bush's choice was of particular importance because of the Court's current delicate political balance.· Adenosine helps regulate the delicate balance between blood flow and urine output.· They upset the delicate balance of interests on which high organizational performance is so often based.
· Whatever the overall balance sheet, Althusser's impact has been undeniable.· When the accountants finish their calculations, all countries have an overall balance of payments equal to zero.· Obviously, Mr Lamont accepts this view and the overall balance he has struck would seem to be right.· Rather it is the quality of representation resulting from the overall balance of interests.· It became even more pronounced during the period under consideration as the overall balance between manufacturing and services altered.· Substantial balances have come from new customers while the overall average balances are higher than Gold 90 balances which are themselves significant.· Specially, appointment to the bench should achieve some overall balance as between the nominees of the main political parties in the area.
· In such leaders, competence, vision, and virtue exist in nearly perfect balance.· But a simple squat can exercise most of the muscles in the body and yet keep it in perfect balance.· The perfect balance of arrogance and vulnerability.· Even the stables were in perfect balance.· Patrick went on to build irregular, non-symmetrical shapes with the connector rods that maintained perfect balance.· The lack of perfect balance and coil symmetry also allows some of the fundamental switching frequency to leak through.· Harold was flexing his muscles for the perfect balance, teeth bared, knife poised over his head.
· A form is a predetermined pattern of techniques that ties together proper posture, balance, coordination and timing.· The other part of my proposal will probably prove annoying to radicals, thereby ensuring a proper balance.· The Amendment, itself, strikes the proper balance between federal and state authority.· There was also an environmental objective - to maintain a proper balance between human needs and the natural environment.· You scratch your heads in selection, and can't find a proper balance with less than 12.· The future for the advanced industrial countries lies increasingly in a proper balance between manufacturing and the service sector.· In order to maintain a proper balance in your life, you must be prepared to allocate some time to yourself each day.
· Find the right balance between enough exercise and enough rest.· The right balance of detail should help the reader quickly grasp the nature of the problem and your approach to it.· The problem is to know how to strike the right balance.· As two opposite kinds of people, when they became partners, their very differences provided the right balance for success.· Does the school have the right balance of ages, abilities and genders?· And so you can pick and choose and try to get the right mixture or balance.· It is also important to get the right balance between over concern and lack of care.· You must find the right balance of specificity and practicality between the two extremes.
NOUN· Therefore it can either be seen as Susan's capital or as a current account balance due to Susan.· The only difficult figure in the balance sheet, apart from the profit and loss account balance, is the minority interest.· Question 5 Should the reporting accountant visit twice a year to check client account balances?· Our gold and dollar reserves are around P£400: a rather ordinary current account balance at NatWest.
· Your bank balance might be given a pleasant surprise.· Until Helen discovered what appeared to be a mistake in their bank balance, that is.· The clever ones soon discovered that while banknotes could be seized a bank balance could not.· Certain things, such as electric charge, bank balances, or dates are quantified by numbers of this kind.· It's the psychological equivalent of having a flashy red sports car plus the bank balance and looks to match.· The bank balance assured him of continued calm.· He had a bank balance that a senior merchant banker would not be ashamed of.· Citicorp first installed ATMs to serve customers with low bank balances.
· There is a particularly important chapter dealing with ethics and values, fairness and power balance.· Through constitutional safeguards and precedents, the hybrid in every country must establish an effective power balance between its two executives.
· Mr Portillo has constantly stressed the grim state of the government's balance sheet.· However, many consolidated balance sheets exclude some fund balance sheets.· The changes have been entirely on the asset side of the balance sheet.· No value is attributed to the playing squad in the group balance sheet.· We now have two fund balance sheets in this authority's accounts.· Pensions. 0704.14 Title warranties Assets other than those in the last audited balance sheet.· This will lead to a strengthening of the balance sheet.
· The trade balance in that year showed a deficit of US$805,000,000.· The numbers are preliminary until the government unveils its official trade balance results for December on Feb. 8.· The integration induced effects upon the trade balance can not be confined to the standard Vinerian concepts.· The trade balance figures exclude sales of ships and oil rigs.
VERB· At the wider level each of the units has to be sequenced to achieve a balance through the entire key stage.· It demands considerable skills to achieve the delicate balance required between the painted finish and the natural grain of the timber.· The management have achieved an excellent balance between service and relaxed atmosphere which is felt throughout the hotel.· To achieve a balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide, one human needed 8 square metres of exposed Chlorella.· She had achieved a balance between her vulnerable, nurturing, feeling side and the rational, assertive, analytical side.· You talk about achieving a balance between idealism and realism as if we already have a perfect one.· In drawing up their lists they take great care to achieve a balance that reflects the diversity of the electorate's concerns.· Maybe some other race of intelligent beings elsewhere in the galaxy will achieve a better balance between responsibility and aggression.
· This not only altered the strategic military balance in favour of the rebels, it also gave them an important psychological boost.· Did they unwittingly do the worst possible thing in response, thus altering a fragile balance for ever?· Such strange patterns of relatedness may alter the economic balance, but do not themselves cause sterility.· An organization typically needs only to alter the balance of fears and beliefs that lay at the core of its decision-making processes.· Reaction to speech Commentators claimed that Hussein's speech did nothing less than alter the strategic balance in the Middle East.· Circumstances could clearly alter the balance in favour of one group rather than another and emphasise some considerations more than others.
· The purpose of the referendum was to change the balance of power between the executive and the legislature.· The crisis changed the balance of power among the participants in the transformation process.· As well as growing overall, we are also changing the balance of our activities, getting out of certain businesses and into others.· More flexible schedules will not immediately change the balance of work done by men and women within their households.· The new appointments did not change the party balance within the Cabinet.· The recent legislation has changed considerably the balance of power and responsibility for public education.· They may wish, for instance, to change the balance between teaching and non-teaching staff.· Development has changed the balance of the world.
· The future of the refuge still hangs in the balance.· The possibility of a nuclear exchange continued to hang in the balance.· Which Minister is the pits with the miners whose livelihoods now hang in the balance?· Meanwhile, with its future hanging in the balance, Fokker is starting to feel the pinch.· His career, much more than mine, hangs in the balance.· That prohibition still persists, and legislation to open the nation's woodlands up to its people hangs in the balance.· But because public health hangs in the balance, experts are already seeking changes in food policy.
· Because they were walking downhill her limp was making her awkward and she linked arms with him to keep her balance.· A pitcher throws to different parts of the plate, trying to keep the hitter off balance.· As the bridge sways, people's feet exert sideways forces on it to keep their balance.· To keep a balance of atmosphere, excess carbon dioxide needed to be removed by chemical filters.· The lights changed and the truck pulled off with Chase trying to keep his balance and looking thoroughly bemused.· I could psych out the captors, and I could put out orders that would frustrate them and keep them off balance.· You sit on the saddle and try and keep your balance and hold on to the handlebars.
· She nearly lost her balance, and cried out in terror.· He put his arms around her waist and pulled her so hard she lost her balance.· If all banks sell securities, they will all lose deposits and balances as their own customers buy securities.· As Diana closed the door behind her, the plane plunged again, and she almost lost her balance.· He lost his balance and he and the teapot clattered downstairs.· Finally I tried from the east, lost my balance, and fell in.· Dropping the wing, Mungo swung round, losing his balance.· His mind slipped into some thought of his son, and he lost his balance.
· Research has suggested that for blood cells, this lipid asymmetry may help to maintain the delicate balance between haemostasis and thrombosis.· In the years that followed, achievements by one side or the other alternated, maintaining a precarious balance of power.· Normally it's job is to maintain fluid balance.· Languages seem to maintain a balance in expressiveness and grammatical complexity over time.· There was also an environmental objective - to maintain a proper balance between human needs and the natural environment.· Workers in fishnet organizations must figure out how to maintain this kind of balance.· It is surely a question of maintaining an appropriate balance, and is not something that can be taken for granted.· A Dole presidency would probably maintain the current balance or add to the Congress-limiting majority.
· But pay off the balance right away.· Tell the office that a way must be found to pay the balance of slightly less than £10,000.· If you pay the balance in full you come out ahead.· The original mortgage was paid off and the balance invested in the business.· If the guests take the room, they pay only the balance.· They will usually ask you to pay off the balance seven days after the statement date.· You must pay the balance at least 8 weeks before departure.
· BankTrak is included to provide daily balance reporting, together with transaction details direct to a compatible computer on the customer's premises.· As two opposite kinds of people, when they became partners, their very differences provided the right balance for success.· This would provide the balance of the figure in cell 6/33.· Each reader contains two pages of activities which provide a balance of structural and communicative activities.· You can buy a proprietary mix that will provide end residues that balance reasonably well - eventually.· Each one provides the balance at the year end for the defined area.· On the other side of the terrace a raised bed provides visual balance and accommodates a specimen juniper and winter flowering heathers.· Maud attributes some 15% of this increase to organic growth, with acquisitions providing the balance.
· He stumbled near the exit from the tower, recovered his balance.· It is assisted by conscious intention on our part to recover balance and vibrant health.· With commendable promptitude, he caught Harrison by the collar and held him firmly, while Agnes and Dotty recovered their balance.· Once she stumbled and nearly fell headlong, but somehow she recovered her balance and tore on.· Yussuf tried to recover his balance, tried to jump, but the wall collapsed too fast.· Aldaniti recovered his balance and sped on towards the second.· But he recovered his balance in a stride and made off for the water jump.· But she recovered her balance and carried on.
· By establishing formal links with the universities, and international specialists, they hope to redress the balance.· If there is any point at all to democratic government it is, surely, to redress the balance in our favour.· These groupings within the general community of women need special attention to redress the balance of lack of opportunity.· A tax on films helps redress the balance.· In the future, many salty foods will use mixtures of potassium chloride to redress the balance.· However, our recent spate of hot summers and mild winters seems to be redressing the balance somewhat.· He sees the new blood scheme as one way to redress the balance against over-represented subjects like particle physics.· Danger lies only where too much zeal is applied to redressing the cultural balance.
· Zulei hopped backwards, trying to regain her balance, her mouth a rictus of hate.· Then investors regained their balance, and the market resumed its upward climb.· Evelyn just managed to regain her balance and prevent herself from falling out.· The emerging organizational territory has neither guidebooks nor guideposts to help employees acquire or regain a sense of balance with their environment.· He rocked for a moment on the edge, his arms circling wildly, desperately trying to regain his balance.· When she regained her balance and looked around he - if indeed it had been he - had vanished.· As he straightened up and regained his balance a spasm of pain shot through his left thigh.· In the second her father took to regain his balance she smashed the glass and grabbed one of them.
· Night Cream a rich blend to restore moisture balance while you sleep.· In fact, the capacity of forests to increase in order to restore carbon balances has been called into question.· Retributive punishment restores the balance by cancelling out this advantage with a commensurate disadvantage.· Definite and energetic steps must be taken in other directions to restore the balance of our national economic life ....· When a surgeon destroys overactive cells in the globus pallidum, he restores balance to the system, said Grossman.· It is quite another thing to assess how out of balance the individual is and how to set about restoring the balance.· We are beginning to see significant signs of restoring a balance to this overemphasis on left-brain skills.
· Clearly the review might shift this balance making pensions the obvious target.· A series of cases in 1988 shifted the balance.· That decision shifted the balance of power away from Wall Street specialists.· The reason was that none of these reforms shifted the balance of power within the social structure of the village.· Conversely, an electricity tax that makes robots more expensive would shift the balance in the other direction, back toward labor.· This shifts the balance of power towards leasing companies and vehicle hire groups.· Finally, the reforms aimed to shift the balance of power in determining use of resources from hospital doctors to general practitioners.
· Melvyn Tan strikes an admirable balance between the classical and romantic in the young composer's make-up.· Barnett, however, has been able to strike a rare balance as a broadcaster.· The courts have to try to strike a balance between the two.· The problem of the Volunteer is to strike a balance.· The problem is to know how to strike the right balance.· The Amendment, itself, strikes the proper balance between federal and state authority.· He decided to strike a balance.· My favorite here was the Redcat Amber, which struck a nice balance between the pale and the swarthy.
· And despite what he'd said, less a token of affection than a means of throwing her off balance.· But before Adamowski could get his campaign under way, Daley threw him off balance by going on the offensive.· It offered no resistance and Urquhart was almost thrown off balance when it slipped free.· Waking up to that penetrating ice-blue gaze was enough to throw anyone off balance for the rest of the day.· But the trucks are unwieldy, easily thrown off balance.· She has a problem with some little gland or other, which can throw her right off balance.· The movement threw him off balance.· Each time the driver braked or accelerated violently she was thrown off balance, barking her shins on various pieces of luggage.
· The government clearly wished to tilt the balance in favour of opting out.· The latter will always heavily tilt the balance towards finally meeting one's obligations to the employer.· It is surely time to re-cast the law on employee inventions to tilt the balance away from the employer.· Alongside his Foxley Wood decision he published new planning guidance which tilted the general balance against giving permission for house-building.· Suppose I decide because of this to tilt the balance in all those cases in favour of its solution.· All these chores, if efficiently organized, can tilt the balance in a close-run contest.· Crisis situations invariably tend to tilt the balance of power in favour of the president at the expense of congress.
· The nature of his choice or the terms in which it is expressed may then tip the balance.· Perhaps remorse at having joined it had tipped the balance of Fred's mind.· Teachers may try to tip the balance about this Englishness.· What tipped the balance against that was my continuing dreadful performance in the classroom.· The thought or feeling tipped the balance, made the difference.· Vigorous efforts were made to tip the balance more in favour of those with greater needs.· Chernobyl had further tipped the balance.
· The proposed law would upset that balance in favor of property owners.· The finish is also more permanent and does not upset the float's balance.· She has upset the natural balance of the world, including the ecology of Earth and Heaven.· In general landowners were expected to work the land and to increase productivity, but not to upset the ecological balance.· Critics say the law upsets the balance of power by delegating legislative authority to the executive branch.· The chemicals upset the balance of the environment and killed not only the whitefly but also other wildlife including the bumble bee.· They upset the delicate balance of interests on which high organizational performance is so often based.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► the balancePHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► catch/throw somebody off-balance
1steady [uncountable] a state in which all your weight is evenly spread so that you do not fall: - His career as a politician hung in the balance.
- I can't say what the outcome of the talks will be -- they're very much in the balance at the moment.
- The negotiations are continuing, with prospects for peace hanging in the balance.
- The survival of the African elephant hangs in the balance.
- But because public health hangs in the balance, experts are already seeking changes in food policy.
- His career, much more than mine, hangs in the balance.
- Meanwhile, with its future hanging in the balance, Fokker is starting to feel the pinch.
- That prohibition still persists, and legislation to open the nation's woodlands up to its people hangs in the balance.
- The future of the refuge still hangs in the balance.
- The possibility of a nuclear exchange continued to hang in the balance.
- Which Minister is the pits with the miners whose livelihoods now hang in the balance?
- Your letter of recommendation swung the balance in his favor.
- Chernobyl had further tipped the balance.
- His influence on deputies is significant, but it will be Mr Yeltsin's performance that will swing the balance.
- Perhaps remorse at having joined it had tipped the balance of Fred's mind.
- Teachers may try to tip the balance about this Englishness.
- The nature of his choice or the terms in which it is expressed may then tip the balance.
- The thought or feeling tipped the balance, made the difference.
- Vigorous efforts were made to tip the balance more in favour of those with greater needs.
- What tipped the balance against that was my continuing dreadful performance in the classroom.
- A decision is made only on the balance of probabilities.
- After looking at the credentials for miraculous claims, Hume came to the conclusion that the balance of probabilities counted against them.
- All those defences are for the defendant to establish on the balance of probabilities.
- The burden of proof in establishing the defence is upon the defendant on the balance of probabilities.
- On balance I think it would be better to cancel the arrangements.
- On balance, it's a useful program, despite the problems.
- Students have been very responsible, on balance, when choosing courses to provide a broad education.
- A badly packed rucksack can easily throw you off balance.
- And despite what he'd said, less a token of affection than a means of throwing her off balance.
- But before Adamowski could get his campaign under way, Daley threw him off balance by going on the offensive.
- He had an authority, an abrupt decisiveness, that caught me off balance.
- It throws the viewer off balance but speaks to the part of each person that is capable, potent and dignified.
- She has a problem with some little gland or other, which can throw her right off balance.
- The movement threw him off balance.
- Waking up to that penetrating ice-blue gaze was enough to throw anyone off balance for the rest of the day.
- For today's time-stressed parents, each day becomes a juggling act.
- But all face an awkward balancing act.
- But it's a crucial balancing act where you have to prioritise on a daily basis.
- Neither half of that balancing act has yet met with success.
- Now that balancing act has become more precarious than ever.
- Such a balancing act could keep his government in being only by increasing his own reputation for lack of principle.
- The question humankind must ask is whether the balancing act the president suggests is enough to stave off global devastation.
- The question now facing voters is which approach is likely to achieve the best balancing act.
- Using political power to reduce market inequalities requires a high-wire balancing act.
- Checks and balances required an alert and informed populace.
- A triangle is an efficient system of emotional checks and balances, allowing chil-dren to work out complicated feelings without volatile outbursts.
- If the new telecommunications age brings unmediated democracy, what will happen to our carefully contrived constitutional system of checks and balances?
- Rugby has evolved as a game of checks and balances.
- Swings and roundabouts, checks and balances: who'd be a research engineer?
- The exchange's rules are subject to the general statutory checks and balances associated with commercial contracts.
- The presidential system offers checks and balances but does not ensure consistency between legislation and execution.
- They saw their first glimpse of the earth as a complex system with checks and balances, inputs and outputs.
- World leaders are meeting to discuss the situation, with peace in the region hanging in the balance.
- But because public health hangs in the balance, experts are already seeking changes in food policy.
- His career, much more than mine, hangs in the balance.
- Meanwhile, with its future hanging in the balance, Fokker is starting to feel the pinch.
- That prohibition still persists, and legislation to open the nation's woodlands up to its people hangs in the balance.
- The future of the refuge still hangs in the balance.
- The possibility of a nuclear exchange continued to hang in the balance.
- Which Minister is the pits with the miners whose livelihoods now hang in the balance?
- Eastin is trying to strike a balance between family life and her work.
- Accounts receivable management requires striking a balance between the cost of extending credit and the benefit received from extending credit.
- Effective organizations will strike a balance that allows them not only to accept uncertainty but to take advantage of it.
- He decided to strike a balance.
- How they strike a balance between the two is at the heart of corporate strategy.
- In the staffroom, they talk of trying to strike a balance between children seeing teachers as friends, and being over-familiar.
- No one can insure against all eventualities and so you strike a balance between the re- and pro- active aspects of your work.
- The courts have to try to strike a balance between the two.
- The problem of the Volunteer is to strike a balance.
- Your support tipped the balance in our favor.
- I went to see Hoppy for a checkup and I tip the scales at exactly eighty-six pounds.
- Mr Bates thinks the disappearance of November's protest vote could tip the scales his way.
- Perhaps remorse at having joined it had tipped the balance of Fred's mind.
- Second, the Constitution tips the scales in favor of the individual over the state in highly personal matters.
- Tall and stately, fairly bursting from her corset, she sometimes tipped the scales at over 200 pounds.
- They viewed the Soviet moves as an effort to tip the scales against the West.
- Thus can a minuscule particle tip the scales one way or another.
I lost my balance and fell on my face.2equal amounts [singular, uncountable] a state in which opposite forces or influences exist in equal or the correct amounts, in a way that is good OPP imbalancebalance between Try to keep a balance between work and play.balance of Pesticides seriously upset the balance of nature.3on balance if you think something on balance, you think it after considering all the facts: I think on balance I prefer the old system.4surprise somebody catch/throw somebody off balance to surprise someone and make them confused and no longer calm: The question caught him off balance.5bank [countable] the amount of money that you have in your bank account: My bank balance isn’t good.6money owed [countable] the balance of a debt is the amount of money that you still owe after you have paid some of it: The balance is due at the end of the month.7remaining the balance the amount of something that remains after some has been used, spent, mentioned etc SYN the rest: The firm owns about 96% of the portfolio, with the balance belonging to our family.8be/hang in the balance if the future or success of something hangs in the balance, you cannot yet know whether the result will be bad or good: Meanwhile, the fate of the refugees continues to hang in the balance.9tip/swing the balance to influence the result of an event: The dignity and courage shown by the president may tip the balance in his party’s favour.10for weighing [countable] an instrument for weighing things, with two dishes that hang from a bar SYN scales11mental/emotional health [singular] when someone’s mind is healthy and their emotional state is normal: The death of her friend had disturbed the balance of her mind.12the balance of evidence/probability etc the most likely answer or result produced by opposing information, reasons etc → checks and balances at check2(4)COLLOCATIONS– Meaning 1verbskeep your balance (=stay steady)· The sea was so rough that it was hard to keep your balance.lose your balance (=become unsteady)· She nearly lost her balance as the bus suddenly moved forward.regain/recover your balance (=become steady again)· He held onto Carrie until he regained his balance.knock/throw somebody off balance· The blow was hard enough to knock him off balance.phrasesa sense of balance· A good sense of balance is always useful when you are sailing.COLLOCATIONS– Meaning 2verbsstrike/achieve/find a balance (=succeed in getting the right balance)· It is necessary to strike a balance between the needs of employers and employees.· Find the right balance between enough exercise and enough rest.keep/maintain a balance· Try to keep a balance between your spending and your earnings.· A firm must strive to maintain a balance between business and financial risk.upset the balance (=make it less equal or correct)· The move could upset the delicate balance of power in the Middle East.change/alter/shift the balance· Will this alter the balance of power in the EU?· His appointment shifted the government’s balance decisively to the right.redress the balance (also restore the balance British English) (=make it equal or correct again)· What can be done to redress the balance in favour of women?adjectivesa good/healthy balance· You should eat a good balance of carbohydrates and protein.· Are you eating a healthy balance of foods?a fine balance (=hard to achieve)· Teachers need to strike a fine balance of flexibility and control.a delicate balance (=easily damaged)· Too much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere upsets the delicate balance of gases.the right/proper/correct balance· With sport, you have to find the right balance between competition and fun.the natural balance· Chemicals will upset the natural balance of the pond.the ecological balance· Human activity is ruining the ecological balance of our planet.the political/military balance· By this time, the political balance in the Cabinet had altered.phrasesthe balance of power· the European balance of powerthe balance of nature· Nothing can justify permanent damage to the balance of nature.balance1 nounbalance2 verb
balancebalance2 ●●● S3 verb VERB TABLE
balance
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | balance |
| he, she, it | balances | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | balanced |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have balanced |
| he, she, it | has balanced | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had balanced |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will balance |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have balanced |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am balancing |
| he, she, it | is balancing | |
| you, we, they | are balancing | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was balancing |
| you, we, they | were balancing | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been balancing |
| he, she, it | has been balancing | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been balancing |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be balancing |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been balancing |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Balancing awkwardly on one leg, he lowered himself into his wheelchair.
- Balancing my cup of coffee in one hand, I managed to open the door.
- An angel was balancing precariously on top of the Christmas tree.
- As a parent trying to balance home and career, it's very difficult to find time for a social life.
- His favourite party trick is balancing tin cans on his head.
- Its cranberry tartness is balanced with just a hint of sweetness.
- No government so far has been able to balance the number of jobs available with the number of people out of work.
- The beam is very narrow - you may find it difficult to balance.
- They asked state officials to balance giving jobs to men and women.
- We tried to balance the aerial on top of the TV set, but it kept falling over.
- He has, in addition, hatched his own solution to the challenge of balancing love and work.
- Now, at twenty-two, I was well aware that stewardess work balanced on the edge of social respectability.
- With flash, burning is still required to balance a print.
Longman Language Activatorto remain steady and not fall
to remain steady and not fall, especially when this is difficult to do: · The beam is very narrow - you may find it difficult to balance.balance on: · Balancing awkwardly on one leg, he lowered himself into his wheelchair.balance precariously (=balance in a very dangerous position): · An angel was balancing precariously on top of the Christmas tree.
to manage to remain steady and not fall, especially when something happens to nearly make you fall: · The horse tried to throw her off but she managed to keep her balance.· It's hard enough just keeping my balance on ice, let alone actually skating on it.
completely balanced so that there is no chance of falling: · She held on to hand rails to keep herself steady.· We need a steady platform above the waves before we can start drilling.
to make something balance on a point or surface · Balancing my cup of coffee in one hand, I managed to open the door.balance something on something · His favourite party trick is balancing tin cans on his head.· We tried to balance the aerial on top of the TV set, but it kept falling over.
to make something or someone become balanced again, especially when they were falling over: · When she looked as though she was going to fall, Eddie's arm immediately went out to steady her.· He stood up, holding on to the desk to steady himself.
the ability to remain steady and not fall · A walking stick is good for balance on rough trails.sense of balance · You need a great sense of balance to be an acrobat.
to become unsteady and start to fall to suddenly become unsteady and start to fall: · Put your arms out to the side so that you don't lose your balance.· She ran after the dog, lost her balance, and fell flat on her face.
if someone or something totters or teeters they move unsteadily from side to side and look as if they are going to fall: · I could feel the tray tottering and suddenly all the drinks crashed to the floor.· His chair teetered back dangerously on two legs.
to move unsteadily from side to side: · She bumped the table and the glasses wobbled.· "Who could that be?" the old man said as he wobbled toward the door.
unsteady and likely to fall someone who is unsteady is unable to balance properly, for example because of illness, old age or too much alcohol: · For a few moments he was pale and unsteady but his colour gradually returned.· He walked with the unsteady gait of an old man.unsteady on your feet: · She'll be a little unsteady on her feet until the anaesthetic wears off.
something that is unstable is unsteady because it is too big for the thing supporting it or not properly fastened to something, so that it is dangerous: · That scaffolding looks unstable - get all the building workers off the site immediately.
not safe and likely to fall down - use this especially about things or people that are in high places: · The bottle was in a precarious position on the edge of the table.· Are you sure he's safe on that ladder? It looks very precarious up there.
feeling unsteady and unable to balance feeling as if everything is spinning around you and unable to balance: · Sometimes I get dizzy at the top of staircases and escalators.· If you feel dizzy or short of breath, stop exercising immediately.
feeling unsteady and unable to balance, sometimes with the result that you want to be sick: · She suddenly felt giddy and had to find somewhere to sit down.
if someone's head is swimming they feel unsteady, unable to see properly, and as though the room is spinning around them very quickly, for example because they are ill or drunk: · My head was swimming, and the floor seemed to be moving up and down.
to make two numbers, amounts, situations etc equal · As a parent trying to balance home and career, it's very difficult to find time for a social life.balance something with something · No government so far has been able to balance the number of jobs available with the number of people out of work.
also equalise British to change things so that people are treated equally, especially in their employment: · The Association of Women Teachers in New York fought to equalize male and female pay.· Miners demanded a standard rate throughout the country to equalize wages.
if two amounts, numbers etc balance out , they become equal or have an equal effect, especially if this happens over a fairly long period of time: · Sometimes we have a slight loss and sometimes a slight surplus, but over time they balance out.· Sometimes I do the cooking and sometimes John does - so in the end it all balances out.
if two amounts, or levels even out or you even them out , the differences between them gradually become smaller: even out something: · On cold days the device periodically provides a burst of hot air, to even out the air temperature.even something out: · We want to even the workload out a little, so that no one has more than they can handle.
to achieve a situation in which you give the correct amount of attention and importance to two opposing activities or ideas: · Most reporters are either violently for or violently against the government, but some try to strike a balance.strike a balance between: · School children have to learn to strike a balance between work and play.· Prison reformers are trying to strike a balance between punishing offenders and helping them to avoid repeating their offences.
to make a situation equal or fair again after it has not been fair or equal: · Eventually, if the population of one species rises too much a new epidemic will come along to redress the balance.· Gypsies have often been portrayed as lawless savages, and the film tries to redress the balance by showing their culture as it really is.
to replace or balance something good that has been lost or something bad that has been done, by providing or doing something good: · Nothing they can do will make up for the damage they have caused.· He had to work twice as hard as the other children to make up for his lack of natural ability.more than make up for (=make up for something very well): · The weather was a bit cold, but the beautiful scenery more than made up for it.
to replace or balance something good that has been lost or is lacking, by providing or doing something equally good: · Ray tries to compensate for his shyness by telling a lot of jokes.· It is hoped that the new car's style and design will compensate for its lack of speed.· Failures in this area will have to be compensated for by successes in other areas.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES A small centre party holds the balance of power (=is able to make either side more powerful than the other by supporting them) in the Assembly. The prospects for the country are fairly evenly balanced between peaceful reform and revolution. His future in the job is balanced on a knife-edge. Mr Eyer may lose the sight in one eye. The tour was postponed when the lead singer lost his voice. Julian lost his balance and fell. The sudden movement of the ship knocked them both off balance. a cup of tea balanced precariously on her knee Once she stumbled, but somehow she recovered her balance and carried on running. Affirmative action was meant to redress the balance (=make the situation fair) for minorities. It isn’t always easy to strike the right balance. Crisis situations tend to tilt the balance of power in favour of the president. Three factors helped to tip the balance in favour of the Labour leadership. The chemicals upset the balance of the environment.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB
(=considering everything in a sensible way)· The president spoke in favour of a calm and balanced approach.
A small centre party holds the balance of power (=is able to make either side more powerful than the other by supporting them) in the Assembly. (=the actual amount that you have in your bank account)· I'm just going to check my bank balance online.
(=spend only the money that is available)· the importance of balancing the budget and cutting taxes
(=with a mix of academic and practical subjects)· We want to ensure a balanced curriculum for all pupils.
(=including all the types of food that people need)· A balanced diet is important for a child’s development.
The prospects for the country are fairly evenly balanced between peaceful reform and revolution. His future in the job is balanced on a knife-edge. Mr Eyer may lose the sight in one eye. The tour was postponed when the lead singer lost his voice. Julian lost his balance and fell. (=with some of each type of food, to keep you healthy)· We make healthy, balanced meals for our children.
The sudden movement of the ship knocked them both off balance.· There has been a shift in the balance of power between the two countries.
a cup of tea balanced precariously on her knee (=considering the probability of two or more events)· A decision about removing a child from its parents is made on the balance of probabilities.
Once she stumbled, but somehow she recovered her balance and carried on running. Affirmative action was meant to redress the balance (=make the situation fair) for minorities. (=become steady again, so that you do not fall over)· She staggered a little before regaining her balance.
It isn’t always easy to strike the right balance. Crisis situations tend to tilt the balance of power in favour of the president. Three factors helped to tip the balance in favour of the Labour leadership. The chemicals upset the balance of the environment.· The issue is so delicately balanced that goal difference could even decide who goes up.
· The live recording shows few signs of an audience present and is evenly balanced between voices and orchestra.· Ipswich scored 2/5, with one game, which is evenly balanced, to be adjudicated.· The scales can be fairly evenly balanced.
· Ferndown consolidated as the game progressed and the game was very finely balanced.· Please try not to upset or destroy this finely balanced mechanism or the building blocks will collapse like a row of dominoes.· Arguments over toxicity and cost-benefit are finely balanced.· The issues are finely balanced and there is no simple answer to the question.· But in practice the prognosis is finely balanced.· There is concern about the law in this area and I believe that the arguments on it are finely balanced.
· Natasha gazed at her with an expression in which caution and disdain were perfectly balanced.· You rarely see that people are perfectly balanced on these.· A rudderless boat must be perfectly balanced if it is to follow a straight course.· It is perfectly balanced to satisfy a growing appetite.· Balancing basic food ingredients Grass is not perfectly balanced for all types of horses all year round either.
· A dead leaf balanced precariously on the knuckles, twitching in the breeze.· Furthermore, he was precariously balanced and might fall.· Ice Cube is precariously balanced between entertainment and polemic.· The guys tapped on their heels, balanced precariously and even attempted a few body flips.· She balanced precariously with one foot on each.· This leaves him precariously balancing his highbrow and lowbrow selves.· The first carries the dual carriageway A4041 with a street light balanced precariously above the centre of the canal.
· Heredity, in Rose's case, had never been well balanced by environment.· Make sure they are well balanced and will not slip off.· The board should balance well in this position.· Pommery wines are well balanced and of high quality.· Print quality was very good, with crisp, sharp text and well balanced colour graphics.· The yacht tracked accurately and was well balanced on all points.· Each part of the production system is now well balanced and the new computer controlled lines have improved quality.
NOUN· But during the strike, owners and executives saw little reason to balance accounts.
· Mr Lamont declared the Tories stuck to their election pledges but he faces immense pressure to balance the books.· Nature always balances her books, and Jupiter had lost exactly as much momentum as Discovery had gained.· Jobs threat: Five teachers at York's Lowfield School could face redundancy unless the opted-out school can balance its books.· All supply people dreamed of a way to balance the books once and for all-without all that trading and shuffling.· Voice over Derby had one more chance to balance the books but Paul Kitson wasted a glorious opportunity by blasting wide.· How has it balanced its books with the rest of the world?· But the council had to balance its books, he said.· As treasurer of the R.A.D.D., he once balanced the books, which had a serious deficit, with a handsome donation.
· The Gladstonian principle that public sector budgets should be balanced - increased expenditure met by increased taxes - was the accepted rule.· The budget was never balanced during the depression.· The Labour Cabinet was, it is clear, united in its view that the budget had to be balanced.· Negotiations on a seven-year budget balancing plan broke off temporarily on Tuesday.· If the budget is actually balanced because of Clinton, his comparative stature in the annals of history will grow only modestly.· The bipartisan Concord Coalition, a Washington-based interest group on budget balancing issues, has run newspaper ads against the Dole plan.· If government budgets are balanced, then the G term is zero and X-M must equal S-I.· Taking the long view of things, Clinton insists his budget plan would assure balanced budgets well into the next century.
· For such organizations it is a matter of balancing the demands for their services against the limited resources available.· Steering requires people who see the entire universe of issues and possibilities and can balance competing demands for resources.· Planning can balance demand and supply ex ante rather than ex post, so avoiding substantial waste of resources. 4.· For others, it may be more difficult to balance the often competing demands of work and home.· To balance demand against available resources is a continuing function of health service management intra-contractually and extra-contractually.· This was a highly effective marriage of convenience, helping to balance the demand for electricity.
· Bob's idea of a balanced diet left something to be desired.· The women featured in the article are reducing their risk of chronic disease by exercising and by eating a balanced diet.· A balanced read-aloud diet gives our children an appreciation for the sounds and shapes and purposes of many different kinds of texts.· In fact, for some people, caffeine may actually make it harder to eat a balanced, healthy diet.· The first slide showed a normal-size mouse eating a balanced diet of lab food pellets.· A balanced diet and daily physical exercise are the keys to a healthy lifestyle.· Fried bologna for Dooley with double mustard, and no sermons about a balanced diet, please.
· Any decisions must balance the needs and abilities of users with the type and quality of information to held in the database.· Congress tried to write federal law by balancing needs of privacy advocates and the medical industry.· I wanted to confess to her once but balanced that against the need to be loved by her.· Hope is about the unknown and prospects, about balancing our needs for security with the dangers of freedom.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRYPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► catch/throw somebody off-balance
1[intransitive, transitive] to be in or get into a steady position, without falling to one side or the other, or to put something into this positionbalance something on something- Congress may finally be forced to balance the budget.
- During his presidential campaign, he promised to balance the budget.
- Among all voters, Fabrizio found that two-thirds supported balancing the budget over cutting taxes.
- But he and his Republican Congressional opponents have yet to decide on a seven-year plan to balance the budget.
- Concern that White House and congressional negotiators were unable to reach an agreement to balance the budget helped send stocks plunging yesterday.
- Talks aimed at agreeing on a plan to balance the budget within seven years are still taking place.
- That would, of course, require deeper spending cuts in order to balance the budget.
- We can do both, give tax relief to families and balance the budget.
- All supply people dreamed of a way to balance the books once and for all-without all that trading and shuffling.
- As treasurer of the R.A.D.D., he once balanced the books, which had a serious deficit, with a handsome donation.
- But it is still difficult balancing the books.
- Mr Lamont declared the Tories stuck to their election pledges but he faces immense pressure to balance the books.
- Saving seed can help balance the books, but it's not to be undertaken lightly.
- The days of balancing the books are over.
- Voice over Derby had one more chance to balance the books but Paul Kitson wasted a glorious opportunity by blasting wide.
- We are now considering new taxes to balance the books.
- For today's time-stressed parents, each day becomes a juggling act.
- But all face an awkward balancing act.
- But it's a crucial balancing act where you have to prioritise on a daily basis.
- Neither half of that balancing act has yet met with success.
- Now that balancing act has become more precarious than ever.
- Such a balancing act could keep his government in being only by increasing his own reputation for lack of principle.
- The question humankind must ask is whether the balancing act the president suggests is enough to stave off global devastation.
- The question now facing voters is which approach is likely to achieve the best balancing act.
- Using political power to reduce market inequalities requires a high-wire balancing act.
- Checks and balances required an alert and informed populace.
- A triangle is an efficient system of emotional checks and balances, allowing chil-dren to work out complicated feelings without volatile outbursts.
- If the new telecommunications age brings unmediated democracy, what will happen to our carefully contrived constitutional system of checks and balances?
- Rugby has evolved as a game of checks and balances.
- Swings and roundabouts, checks and balances: who'd be a research engineer?
- The exchange's rules are subject to the general statutory checks and balances associated with commercial contracts.
- The presidential system offers checks and balances but does not ensure consistency between legislation and execution.
- They saw their first glimpse of the earth as a complex system with checks and balances, inputs and outputs.
- World leaders are meeting to discuss the situation, with peace in the region hanging in the balance.
- But because public health hangs in the balance, experts are already seeking changes in food policy.
- His career, much more than mine, hangs in the balance.
- Meanwhile, with its future hanging in the balance, Fokker is starting to feel the pinch.
- That prohibition still persists, and legislation to open the nation's woodlands up to its people hangs in the balance.
- The future of the refuge still hangs in the balance.
- The possibility of a nuclear exchange continued to hang in the balance.
- Which Minister is the pits with the miners whose livelihoods now hang in the balance?
- Eastin is trying to strike a balance between family life and her work.
- Accounts receivable management requires striking a balance between the cost of extending credit and the benefit received from extending credit.
- Effective organizations will strike a balance that allows them not only to accept uncertainty but to take advantage of it.
- He decided to strike a balance.
- How they strike a balance between the two is at the heart of corporate strategy.
- In the staffroom, they talk of trying to strike a balance between children seeing teachers as friends, and being over-familiar.
- No one can insure against all eventualities and so you strike a balance between the re- and pro- active aspects of your work.
- The courts have to try to strike a balance between the two.
- The problem of the Volunteer is to strike a balance.
- Your support tipped the balance in our favor.
- I went to see Hoppy for a checkup and I tip the scales at exactly eighty-six pounds.
- Mr Bates thinks the disappearance of November's protest vote could tip the scales his way.
- Perhaps remorse at having joined it had tipped the balance of Fred's mind.
- Second, the Constitution tips the scales in favor of the individual over the state in highly personal matters.
- Tall and stately, fairly bursting from her corset, she sometimes tipped the scales at over 200 pounds.
- They viewed the Soviet moves as an effort to tip the scales against the West.
- Thus can a minuscule particle tip the scales one way or another.
She was balancing a plate of food on her knees.balance on He turned around, balancing awkwardly on one foot.2[intransitive, transitive] to be equal in importance, amount, value, or effect to something that has the opposite effect: Job losses in manufacturing were balanced by job increases in the service sector. just enough sugar to balance the acidity of the fruit3[transitive] to consider the importance of one thing in relation to something else when you are making a decisionbalance something against something The courts must balance our liberty against the security of the nation.4balance the budget if a government balances the budget, they make the amount of money that they spend equal to the amount of money available5balance the books to show that the amount of money a business has received is equal to the amount spentbalance out phrasal verb if two or more things balance out, the final result is that they are equal in amount, importance, or effect: Sometimes I look after the kids and sometimes John does – it all balances out. → balancing act