n. [ OE. balade, OF. balade, F. ballade, fr. Pr. ballada a dancing song, fr. ballare to dance; cf. It. ballata. See 2d Ball, n., and Ballet. ] A popular kind of narrative poem, adapted for recitation or singing; as, the ballad of Chevy Chase; esp., a sentimental or romantic poem in short stanzas. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To make or sing ballads. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To make mention of in ballads. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Ballad, n. ] A form of French versification, sometimes imitated in English, in which three or four rhymes recur through three stanzas of eight or ten lines each, the stanzas concluding with a refrain, and the whole poem with an envoy. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A writer of ballads. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ See Monger. ] A seller or maker of ballads; a poetaster. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From Ballad, n. ] Ballad poems; the subject or style of ballads. “Base balladry is so beloved.” Drayton. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. A fast-sailing schooner, used in the Bermudas and West Indies. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ Corrupted fr. bullirag. ] To bully; to threaten. [ Low ] T. Warton.
Syn. -- bullirag; bullyrag. [ 1913 Webster ]

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., and Last load. ] 1. (Naut.) Any heavy substance, as stone, iron, etc., put into the hold to sink a vessel in the water to such a depth as to prevent capsizing. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Any heavy matter put into the car of a balloon to give it steadiness. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Gravel, broken stone, etc., laid in the bed of a railroad to make it firm and solid. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The larger solids, as broken stone or gravel, used in making concrete. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Fig.: That which gives, or helps to maintain, uprightness, steadiness, and security. [ 1913 Webster ]

It [ piety ] is the right ballast of prosperity. Barrow. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ballast engine, a steam engine used in excavating and for digging and raising stones and gravel for ballast. --
Ship in ballast, a ship carrying only ballast. [ 1913 Webster ]