Pronunciation: /ˈbæləst/
noun heavy material, such as gravel or sand, used to make a ship more stable or to control the draft of a vessel
A1 The ship used heavy rocks as ballast to keep it stable in the water.
A2 The construction workers added ballast to the bottom of the boat to prevent it from tipping over.
B1 The truck driver adjusted the ballast in the back of the vehicle to improve its handling on the road.
B2 The engineer calculated the necessary ballast needed to balance the weight distribution of the airplane.
C1 The architect designed the building with a ballast system to counteract wind forces and seismic activity.
C2 The astronaut adjusted the ballast in the spacecraft to ensure a smooth reentry into the Earth's atmosphere.
verb to provide a ship with ballast
A1 She helped ballast the boat by adding weight to the bottom.
A2 The workers ballasted the ship to ensure stability in rough waters.
B1 The construction crew ballasted the foundation of the building with heavy stones.
B2 The engineers ballasted the bridge to prevent swaying during high winds.
C1 The sailors meticulously ballasted the cargo ship for a long journey across the ocean.
C2 The team of experts ballasted the submarine to withstand the intense pressure of deep-sea exploration.
formal The ship's ballast helped stabilize it during rough seas.
informal Make sure to evenly distribute the ballast in the boat before we set sail.
slang I need to add more ballast to my car to improve its traction on the road.
figurative She found solace in the ballast of her faith during difficult times.
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