1. Heavy material that is placed in the hold of a ship or the gondola of a balloon to enhance stability. 2a. Coarse gravel or crushed rock laid to form a bed for roads or railroads. b. The gravel ingredient of concrete. 3. Something that gives stability, especially in character.
TRANSITIVE VERB:
Inflected forms: bal·last·ed, bal·last·ing, bal·lasts 1. To stabilize or provide with ballast. 2. To fill (a railroad bed) with or as if with ballast.
ETYMOLOGY:
Perhaps from Old Swedishor Old Danish barlast : bar, mere, bare; see bhoso- in Appendix I + last, load.
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