Definition of ballasts in English

Part of speech

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ballasts, verb, present, 3rd person singular of ballast (infinitive).
ballasts, noun, plural of ballast.

WordNet

Noun Plural: ballasts
ballast - any heavy material used to stabilize a ship or airship
		material, stuff things needed for doing or making something; "writing materials"; "useful teaching materials"
ballast - an electrical device for starting and regulating fluorescent and discharge lamps
		light ballast
ballast - an attribute that tends to give stability in character and morals; something that steadies the mind or feelings
ballast - coarse gravel laid to form a bed for streets and railroads
ballast - a resistor inserted into a circuit to compensate for changes (as those arising from temperature fluctuations)
		ballast resistor, barretter
Verb ballasts, ballasting, ballasted
ballast - make steady with a ballast
		steady, stabilise, stabilize, brace make steady; "steady yourself"

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Wiktionary

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.
ballast (Verb)
To stabilize or load a ship with ballast.
ballast (Verb)
To lay ballast on the bed of a railroad track.

Webster DictionaryWebster's Unabridged Dictionary 📘

ballast (a.)
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 (a.)
Any heavy matter put into the car of a balloon to give it steadiness.
ballast (a.)
Gravel, broken stone, etc., laid in the bed of a railroad to make it firm and solid.
ballast (a.)
The larger solids, as broken stone or gravel, used in making concrete.
ballast (a.)
Fig.: That which gives, or helps to maintain, uprightness, steadiness, and security.
ballast (v. t.)
To steady, as a vessel, by putting heavy substances in the hold.
ballast (v. t.)
To fill in, as the bed of a railroad, with gravel, stone, etc., in order to make it firm and solid.
ballast (v. t.)
To keep steady; to steady, morally.

OmegaWiki DictionaryOmegaWiki Dictionary Ω

ballast
Heavy material that is placed in the hold of a ship, to provide stability.

Chambers DictionaryChamber's 20th Century Dictionary 📕

ballast
bal′last, n. heavy matter employed to give a ship sufficient immersion in the water, to insure her safe sailing with spread canvas, when her cargo and equipment are too light: that which renders anything steady.—v.t. to load with ballast: to make or keep steady: (Shak.) load.—n. Bal′last-heav′er. [Probably the Old Sw. barlast—bar, bare, and last, load, the mere load.]

Marine DictionaryUniversal Dictionary of the Marine ⚓️

ballast
lest, (ballaste, Dut. ballastro, Span.) a certain portion of stone, iron, gravel, or such like materials, deposited in a ship’s hold, when she has either no cargo, or too little to bring her sufficiently low in the water. It is used to counter-ballance the effort of the wind upon the masts, and give the ship a proper stability, that she may be enabled to carry sail without danger of over-turning.
There is often great difference in the proportion of ballast required to prepare ships of equal burthen for a voyage; the quantity being always more or less, according to the sharpness or flatness of the ship’s bottom, which seamen call the floor.
The knowledge of ballasting a ship with propriety, is certainly an article that deserves the attention of the skilful mariner; for although it is known that ships in general will not carry a sufficient quantity of sail, till they are laden so deep that the surface of the water will nearly glance on the extreme breadth amidships; yet there is more than this general knowledge required; since, if she has a great weight of heavy ballast, as lead, iron, &c. in the bottom, it will place the center of gravity too low in the hold; and although this will enable her to carry a great sail, she will nevertheless sail very heavily, and run the risk of being dismasted by her violent rolling.
To ballast a ship, therefore, is the art of disposing those materials so that she may be duly poised, and maintain a proper equilibrium on the water, so as neither to be too stiff, nor too crank, qualities equally pernicious; as in the first, although the ship may be fitted to carry a great sail, yet her velocity will not be proportionably increased; whilst her masts are more endangered by her sudden jerks and excessive labouring: and in the last, she will be incapable of carrying sail, without the risk of oversetting.
Stiffness in ballasting, is occasioned by disposing a great quantity of heavy ballast, as lead, iron, &c. in the bottom, which naturally places the center of gravity very near the keel; and that being the center about which the vibrations are made, the lower it is placed, the more violent will be the motion of rolling.
Crankness, on the other hand, is occasioned by having too little ballast, or by disposing the ship’s lading so as to raise the center of gravity too high, which also endangers the mast in carrying sail when it blows hard: for when the masts lose their perpendicular height, they strain on the shrouds in the nature of a lever, which encreases as the sine of their obliquity; and a ship that loses her masts is in great danger of being lost.
The whole art of ballasting, therefore, consists in placing the center of gravity to correspond with the trim and shape of the vessel, so as neither to be too high nor too low; neither too far forward, nor too far aft; and to lade the ship so deep, that the surface of the water may nearly rise to the extreme breadth amidships; and thus she will be enabled to carry a good sail, incline but little, and ply well to the windward. See the article TRIM.

Sailor's Word-BookThe Sailor's Word-Book ⛵

ballast
A certain portion of stone, pig-iron, gravel, water, or such like materials, deposited in a ship's hold when she either has no cargo or too little to bring her sufficiently low in the water. It is used to counter-balance the effect of the wind upon the masts, and give the ship a proper stability, that she may be enabled to carry sail without danger of overturning. The art of ballasting consists in placing the centre of gravity, so as neither to be too high nor too low, too far forward nor too far aft, and that the surface of the water may nearly rise to the extreme breadth amidships, and thus the ship will be enabled to carry a good sail, incline but little, and ply well to windward. A want of true knowledge in this department has led to putting too great a weight in ships' bottoms, which impedes their sailing and endangers their masts by excessive rolling, the consequence of bringing the centre of gravity too low. It should be trimmed with due regard to the capacity, gravity, and flooring, and to the nature of whatever is to be deposited thereon. (See TRIM.)
ballast
As a verb, signifies to steady;--as a substantive, a comprehensive mind. A man is said to "lose his ballast" when his judgment fails him, or he becomes top-heavy from conceit.