Ballad, bal′lad, n. a simple spirited narrative poem in short stanzas of two or four lines, in which a story is told in straightforward verse, often with great elaborateness and detail in incident, but always with graphic simplicity and force—a sort of minor epic: a simple song, usually of a romantic or sentimental nature, in two or more verses, each sung to the same melody, as in the so-called Ballad Concerts: any popular song, often scurrilous.—ns. Bal′ladist, a writer or singer of ballads; Bal′lad-monger, a dealer in ballads. [Fr. ballade, from ballare, to dance, being orig. a song sung to the rhythmic movement of a dancing chorus—a dramatic poem sung or acted in the dance, of which a shadow survives in the ring-songs of our children.]
Ballade, ba-lad′, n. a poem of one or more terns or triplets of seven or eight lined stanzas, each ending with the same line as refrain, and usually an envoy: now frequently used of any poem in stanzas of equal length.—Ballade royal, stanzas of seven or eight lines of ten syllables—called also Rime or Rhythm royal. [An earlier spelling of Ballad.]
Balladine, bal′a-dēn, n. a female public dancer. [Fr.]
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.]
Ballerina, bal-ler-ēn′a, n. a female dancer:—pl. Ballerine (bal-ler-in′), Ballerin′as. [It.]
Ballet, bal′lā, n. a theatrical exhibition composed of dancing, posturing, and pantomimic action: (obs.) a dance. [Fr.; dim. of bal, a dance.]
Ballista, Balista, bal-lis′ta, n. a Roman military engine in the form of a crossbow, which, like the catapulta and the onager, propelled large and heavy missiles, chiefly through the reaction of a tightly twisted rope, or else by a violent movement of levers.—adj. Ballis′tic, projectile.—ns. Ballis′tic-pen′dulum, an instrument for ascertaining the velocity of military projectiles; Ballis′tite, an improved kind of gunpowder. [L.—Gr. ballein, to throw.]
Ballium, bal′li-um, n. the Low L. form of Bailey.
Balloon, bal-lōōn′, n. an inflated air-tight envelope of paper or silk, constructed to float in the air and carry a considerable weight when filled with heated air or light gas: anything inflated, empty: (obs.) a game played with a large inflated ball.—v.i. to ascend in a balloon: to puff out like a balloon.—n. Balloon′ist, an aeronaut. [It. ballone, augmentative of balla, ball.]
Ballot, bal′ut, n. a little ball or ticket used in voting: a method of secret voting by putting a ball or ticket into an urn or box.—v.i. to vote by ballot: to select by secret voting (with for): draw lots for:—pr.p. bal′loting; pa.p. bal′loted.—ns. Bal′lotage, in France, the second ballot to decide which of two candidates has come nearest to the legal majority; Bal′lot-box, a box to receive balls or tickets when voting by ballot. [It. ballotta, dim. of balla, ball. See Ball.]