[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/counterbalance.html)

[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [The school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/) / counterbalance

[← C](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/C/)

# counterbalance

«counterbalance» in Mova's school dictionary: **A weight that balances another weight** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples.

### part of speech

noun (a counterbalance, counterbalances); verb (counterbalance, counterbalances, counterbalanced, counterbalancing)

### meaning for a pupil

1) A weight that balances another weight. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/counterbalance/#m1)

2) Something that has an equal and opposite effect to something else. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/counterbalance/#m2)

3) To balance something by putting weight or force on the other side. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/counterbalance/#m3)

4) To make up for something by having an opposite effect. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/counterbalance/#m4)

### sense in the lessons

In science: a crane has a counterbalance (counterweight) so it does not tip; a see-saw balances when the moments on both sides are equal. In everyday talk: «Fun counterbalances hard work».

### examples

- The crane uses a heavy counterbalance. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/counterbalance/#x1)
- On the see-saw, Dad's weight counterbalanced both of us. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/counterbalance/#x2)
- The lift has a counterbalance to make it easier to move. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/counterbalance/#x3)
- Good food counterbalanced the long walk. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/counterbalance/#x4)
- His calm counterbalances her excitement. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/counterbalance/#x5)
- Add weight to the other end to counterbalance the load. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/counterbalance/#x6)

### note

One word. Similar: counterweight, offset. In science, balance happens when weight × distance is the same on each side, not just equal weights.

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «counterbalance» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/counterbalance/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.