balance-beam

A shopkeeper places a weight on one side of the balance-beam.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A sports apparatus: "balance beam" refers to a long, narrow, raised horizontal beam used in gymnastics, especially for women's competitions, where athletes perform routines that involve acrobatic and dance-like movements.
   • A component of a scale: In a weighing scale, a "balance beam" is a horizontal bar that pivots on a central fulcrum, with pans or hooks at each end to hold objects for comparison of weight.

Usage Examples

• Sports apparatus:

  • The gymnast performed a flawless routine on the balance beam. (The athlete executed a perfect series of moves on the gymnastics apparatus.)
  • She practiced her back handspring on the balance beam every day. (She repeatedly rehearsed a specific acrobatic move on the narrow beam.)

• Scale component:

  • The balance beam in the old scale was made of brass. (The horizontal bar of the weighing device was constructed from a yellow metal.)
  • He adjusted the balance beam to ensure the scale was accurate. (He calibrated the pivoting bar so that the weight comparison was correct.)

Advanced Usage

• "to walk a balance beam": to move carefully along a narrow beam, often used metaphorically.

  • In politics, he had to walk a balance beam between conservative and liberal views. (He had to navigate a delicate and risky position between two opposing factions.)

• "balance beam of life": a poetic or metaphorical expression for a precarious or challenging situation requiring careful equilibrium.

  • Raising teenagers feels like walking a balance beam of life. (Parenting adolescents is like maintaining stability in a difficult, risky circumstance.)

Variants and Related Words

• Balance (n, v): the state of being steady or equal; to keep steady.
  • She lost her balance and fell off the beam. (She became unsteady and fell.)
• Beam (n): a long, sturdy piece of wood, metal, or other material.
  • The wooden beam supported the roof. (The long timber held up the ceiling.)

Synonyms

• Gymnastics beam: a specific term for the sports apparatus.
• Scale arm: a specific term for the component of a weighing device.
• Fulcrum bar: a technical synonym for the pivoting bar in a scale.

Related Idioms

• "on balance": considering all aspects.
  • On balance, her performance on the balance beam was impressive. (Taking everything into account, her routine was remarkable.)
• "tip the balance": to cause a change in a situation.
  • Her final move on the balance beam tipped the balance in her favor. (Her last action decided the outcome in her advantage.)

Phrasal Verbs

• Balance on: to keep steady on a surface.
  • She balanced on the balance beam for three seconds. (She maintained stability on the narrow beam for a brief period.)
• Balance out: to make equal or stable.
  • The gymnast balanced out her routine with a perfect landing. (She completed her performance with a stable, equalizing finish.)