Definition

1. Verb:
   • To remove ballast from: "unballast" means to take out the heavy material (such as water, sand, or metal) used to stabilize a ship or other vessel, thereby making it lighter or less stable.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • The crew worked quickly to unballast the ship before entering the shallow harbor. (They removed the stabilizing weight to reduce the vessel's draft.)
  • To prepare for repairs, the sailors had to unballast the tanker completely. (They emptied the ballast tanks of water.)

Advanced Usage

• "to unballast a vessel": a specific nautical operation involving the removal of ballast, often to adjust buoyancy or draft.
  • The captain ordered the crew to unballast the starboard side to correct the list. (They removed ballast from one side to level the ship.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ballast (n): heavy material placed in a ship's hold to improve stability.
  • The ship took on ballast to maintain balance in rough seas. (Heavy material for stability.)
• Ballast (v): to provide with ballast.
  • They ballasted the boat with sandbags. (They added weight for stability.)

Synonyms

• Lighten: to make something less heavy by removing weight.
  • The workers lightened the cargo by unloading some containers. (Similar to removing ballast, but more general.)
• Deballast: a technical term meaning to remove ballast, especially from a ship or submarine.
  • The submarine deballasted its tanks to surface. (More specific to water ballast.)

Related Idioms

• "To unballast one's mind": a figurative, less common usage meaning to relieve oneself of heavy thoughts or burdens.
  • She took a walk to unballast her mind from worries. (To free the mind from weighty concerns.)

Additional Notes

• Technical context: "unballast" is primarily used in maritime and engineering contexts. It is the opposite of "ballast" and is less common than "deballast" in modern nautical terminology.