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Fig.: That which gives, or helps to maintain, uprightness, steadiness, and security. It [piety] is the right ballast of prosperity. Barrow. Ballast engine, a steam engine used in excavating and for digging and raising stones and gravel for ballast. -- Ship in ballast, a ship carring only ballast.

The outline inclosing words represented as coming from the mouth of a pictured figure. Air balloon, a balloon for aërial navigation. -- Balloon frame (Carp.), a house frame constructed altogether of small timber. -- Balloon net, a variety of woven lace in which the weft threads are twisted in a peculiar manner around…

andkerchief, having a uniformly dyed ground, usually of red or blue, with white or yellow figures of a circular, lozenge, or other simple form.

a banderole which the banderillero thrusts into the neck or shoulder of the bull in a bullfight.

One who thrusts in the banderillas in bullfighting. W. D. Howells.

The Indian fig. See Banyan. Banian days (Naut.), days in which the sailors have no flesh meat served out to them. This use seems to be borrowed from the Banians or Banya race, who eat no flesh.

A tree of the same genus as the common fig, and called the Indian fig (Ficus Indica), whose branches send shoots to the ground, which take root and become additional trunks, until it may be the tree covers some acres of ground and is able to shelter thousands of men.

An idol or symbolical figure which the Templars were accused of using in their mysterious rites.

eral direction of the shore, and incloses a lagoon channel more or less extensive. -- To fight at barriers, to fight with a barrier between, as a martial exercise. [Obs.]

Low relief; sculpture, the figures of which project less than half of their true proportions; -- called also bassrelief and basso- rilievo. See Alto-rilievo.

Fig.: The fundamental or essential part of a thing; the essential principle; a groundwork.

Fig.: A magnate or grandee.

bass part written out continuously, while the other parts of the harmony are indicated by figures attached to the bass; continued bass.

A staff or cudgel. [Obs.] "To fight with blunt bastons." Holland.

A general action, fight, or encounter, in which all the divisions of an army are or may be engaged; an engagement; a combat.

Fig.: A spy or detective; a constable.

Fig.: A ray; a gleam; as, a beam of comfort. Mercy with her genial beam. Keble.

of the genus Euprepia. -- Bear garden. (a) A place where bears are kept for diversion or fighting. (b) Any place where riotous conduct is common or permitted. M. Arnold. -- Bear leader, one who leads about a performing bear for money; hence, a facetious term for one who takes charge of a young man on his travels.…

another; to ascertain one's position by reference to landmarks or to the compass; hence (Fig.), to ascertain the condition of things when one is in trouble or perplexity.

Fig.: A coarse, brutal, filthy, or degraded fellow.