ballast(noun)

any heavy material used to stabilize a ship or airship

ballast(noun)

coarse gravel laid to form a bed for streets and railroads

ballast(noun)

an attribute that tends to give stability in character and morals; something that steadies the mind or feelings

ballast resistor, ballast, barretter(noun)

a resistor inserted into a circuit to compensate for changes (as those arising from temperature fluctuations)

ballast, light ballast(verb)

an electrical device for starting and regulating fluorescent and discharge lamps

ballast(verb)

make steady with a ballast

ballast(Noun)

Heavy material that is placed in the hold of a ship (or in the gondola of a balloon), to provide stability.

ballast(Noun)

Anything that steadies emotion or the mind.

ballast(Noun)

Coarse gravel or similar material laid to form a bed for roads or railroads.

ballast(Noun)

A material, such as aggregate or precast concrete pavers, which employs its mass and the force of gravity to hold single-ply roof membranes in place.

ballast(Noun)

device used for stabilizing current in an electric circuit (e.g.in a tube lamp supply circuit)

ballast(Verb)

To stabilize or load a ship with ballast.

ballast(Verb)

To lay ballast on the bed of a railroad track.

Ballast(adj)

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

Ballast(adj)

any heavy matter put into the car of a balloon to give it steadiness

Ballast(adj)

gravel, broken stone, etc., laid in the bed of a railroad to make it firm and solid

Ballast(adj)

the larger solids, as broken stone or gravel, used in making concrete

Ballast(adj)

fig.: That which gives, or helps to maintain, uprightness, steadiness, and security

Ballast(verb)

to steady, as a vessel, by putting heavy substances in the hold

Ballast(verb)

to fill in, as the bed of a railroad, with gravel, stone, etc., in order to make it firm and solid

Ballast(verb)

to keep steady; to steady, morally