bed of ballast
1ballast — [bal′əst] n. [LowG < MDu < bal, bad, useless (akin to OE bealu,BALE2) + last, a load] 1. anything heavy carried in a ship, aircraft, or vehicle to give stability or in a balloon or airship to help control altitude 2. anything giving… …
2Ballast tamper — A ballast tamper or tamping machine is a machine used to pack (or tamp) the track ballast under railway tracks to make the tracks more durable. Prior to the introduction of mechanical tampers, this task was done by manual labour with the help of… …
3ballast — I. noun Etymology: probably from Low German, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Danish & Swedish barlast ballast; perhaps akin to Old English bær bare & to Old English hlæst load, hladan to load more at lade Date: 1530 1. a heavy substance placed in …
4Ballast — may mean: Objects: * Ballast tanks, a device used on ships and submarines and other submersibles to control buoyancy and stability * Ballast weights, metallic plates used to bring auto racing vehicles up to the minimum mandated weight *… …
5Ballast — Bal last (b[a^]l last), n. [D. ballast; akin to Dan. baglast, ballast, OSw. barlast, Sw. ballast. The first part is perh. the same word as E. bare, adj.; the second is last a burden, and hence the meaning a bare, or mere, load. See {Bare}, a.,… …
6Ballast engine — Ballast Bal last (b[a^]l last), n. [D. ballast; akin to Dan. baglast, ballast, OSw. barlast, Sw. ballast. The first part is perh. the same word as E. bare, adj.; the second is last a burden, and hence the meaning a bare, or mere, load. See {Bare} …
7Bed — Bed, n. [AS. bed, bedd; akin to OS. bed, D. bed, bedde, Icel. be?r, Dan. bed, Sw. b[ a]dd, Goth. badi, OHG. betti, G. bett, bette, bed, beet a plat of ground; all of uncertain origin.] 1. An article of furniture to sleep or take rest in or on; a… …
8Bed of justice — Bed Bed, n. [AS. bed, bedd; akin to OS. bed, D. bed, bedde, Icel. be?r, Dan. bed, Sw. b[ a]dd, Goth. badi, OHG. betti, G. bett, bette, bed, beet a plat of ground; all of uncertain origin.] 1. An article of furniture to sleep or take rest in or… …
9Ballast — Bal last, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Ballasted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Ballasting}.] 1. To steady, as a vessel, by putting heavy substances in the hold. [1913 Webster] 2. To fill in, as the bed of a railroad, with gravel, stone, etc., in order to make it… …
10ballast — 1. noun /ˈbæl.əst/ a) Heavy material that is placed in the hold of a ship (or in the gondola of a balloon), to provide stability. b) Anything that steadies …
