ballast Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun any heavy material used to stabilize a ship or airship
  2. noun coarse gravel laid to form a bed for streets and railroads
  3. noun an attribute that tends to give stability in character and morals; something that steadies the mind or feelings
  4. noun a resistor inserted into a circuit to compensate for changes (as those arising from temperature fluctuations)
    ballast resistor; barretter.
  5. noun an electrical device for starting and regulating fluorescent and discharge lamps
    light ballast.
  6. verb make steady with a ballast

WordNet

Bal"last noun
Etymology
D. ballast; akin to Dan. baglast, ballast, OSw. barlast, Sw. ballast. The first part is perh. the same word as E. bare, adj.; the second is last a burden, and hence the meaning a bare, or mere, load. See Bare, a., and Last load.
Definitions
  1. (Naut.) Any heavy substance, as stone, iron, etc., put into the hold to sink a vessel in the water to such a depth as to prevent capsizing.
  2. Any heavy matter put into the car of a balloon to give it steadiness.
  3. Gravel, broken stone, etc., laid in the bed of a railroad to make it firm and solid.
  4. The larger solids, as broken stone or gravel, used in making concrete.
  5. Fig.: That which gives, or helps to maintain, uprightness, steadiness, and security.
    It [piety] is the right ballast of prosperity. Barrow.
Bal"last transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Ballasted; present participle & verbal noun Ballasting
Definitions
  1. To steady, as a vessel, by putting heavy substances in the hold.
  2. To fill in, as the bed of a railroad, with gravel, stone, etc., in order to make it firm and solid.
  3. To keep steady; to steady, morally.
    'T is charity must ballast the heart. Hammond.

Webster 1913