ballot 
as, a ballot was taken on tlio resolution; there 
was a large lid/ltit. 5. A method of drawing 
lots by taking out small balls, or the liko, from 
a box ; hence, lot-drawing. .V. K. l>. Tlaaue- 
ballots, ballots printed mi tliin tissue -pa pi r, t.> the end 
that a large Dumber of fraudulent votes folded touether 
may be snmuu'led into the ball"t-lio\ without drt- lititi. 
TO cast a ballot, to deposit in a hallot-ho\, or present 
fur deposit, a iiiiiint HP vcitim-.paper. To cast tlie bal- 
lOt, to rernnl, as it ;i-eertained by ballot, the vote ..[ ,m 
wembly or meeting. Tin- seeivtary is often itMniet,,! 
tn "rust tlir Imlliii when tup convenience tin 1 aeiual 
process, as rciiiiircd by rule, is dispensed with. 
ballot 1 (bal'ot), r. [Early mod. E. also bnlln/. 
ballet; < It. bauottare = F. baUotter, earlier baiot- 
ter, = Sp. balotai; vote by ballot ; from (lie 
noun.] I. iii/i'inin. 1. To decide upon a ques- 
tion, proposition, or candidacy by Casting bal- 
lots; take a ballot or a vote by ballot: often 
with for iu the sense of 'in relation to': as, to 
ballot for members of a club. See the noun. 
The judges . . . would never take thi-ir balls tu l>uil"t 
against him. North, tr. of Plutarch, p. !t27. 
MM- convention iliil ll'it ballot until its third day. 
<!. ,s f . Mfrriaui, s. Howies, II. 18S. 
2. To bound, us in the bore of a cannon : as, 
spherical projectiles ballot in the bore of the 
piece. 3. To select by lot; draw lots (for): 
as, to ballot for places. 
II. t lrn#. 1. To vote for or against by bal- 
lot ; choose or elect by ballot. 
.Vine of the competitors arriving at a sufficient niiinlicr 
of balls, they fell to ballot some others. 
ftif 11. n'otton, Keliiiniie, p. 2B2. 
2. To choose by lot; select by drawing lots 
for. 
Peasants . . . who will not be balloted for soldiers. 
Carlyle, French Rev., III. i. 1. 
ballot 2 (bal'ot), n. [< F. ballot, a bale, prop, 
a small bale, dim. of oalle, a bale : see bale* and 
-ot, and cf. the ult. identical ballot 1 .'] A small 
bale, weighing from 70 to 120 pounds. 
Alpaca is imported in ballot*, hales of about 70 Ibs. 
weight />ra/wi-' Diet., p. 4. 
Ballota (ba-16'ta), n. [NL. (L. ballote), < Gr. 
Ja'/J.uTti, a plant believed to be black hoar- 
hound, origin unknown.] A genus of labiate 
plants, of about 25 species, mostly natives of 
the Mediterranean region. The black hoarhound, 
B. nitjra, sometimes used in medicine, is found through- 
out Europe and Russian Asia. 
ballotade, ballottade (bal-o-tad' or -tad'), n. 
[< F. ballottade (Sp. balotada), < ballotter, toss, 
prob. < ballotte, a little ball: see ballot 1 , .] 
In the manage, a leap of a horse in which all 
four legs are bent witliout jerking out the hind 
ones. Also spelled balotade. 
ballotantt (bal'ot-ant), n. [< F. ballottant, pp. 
of ballotter, ballot: see ballot 1 , r.] A voter by 
ballot. ./. Harrington. [Rare.] 
ballotationt (bal-o-ta'shon). n. [< ballot 1 + 
-ation, after It. ballottazioiie.] A voting by bal- 
lot; a balloting. [Rare.] 
The election of the Duke of Venice is one of the most 
intricate and curious forms in the world, consisting of ten 
several ballotationn. Sir 11. Wotttm, Reliquiae, p. 260. 
433 
ballow :i , A word used only by Sliakspere 
in the passage cited, in the folio of KiL 1 :!, where 
the quarto editions have bull: m and Imi ; it is, 
liko baltero, aj>parently a misprint for Imtlon, 
lull/noil, or batloiin, a stick, cudgel. See Inii- 
ton, butouii, baton, and bat 1 . 
Keepe out, . . . or ice try whltner your Costard or nu 
Ballow be the harder. Shale., Lear, iv. 
ballot-box (bal'ot-boks), TO. A box for receiv- 
ing ballots. 
For all except those who before 1787 had already ac- 
quired the elective franchise, color barred the way to the 
ballot-box. Bancroft, Hist. Const., II. 129. 
balloter (bal'ot-er), . 1. One who ballots or 
votes by ballot. 2. A mechanical device for 
receiving, counting, and recording ballots. 
ballqtint, . [< ballot 1 + -in, irreg. used.] The 
carrier of tho ballot-box ; the taker of the votes 
bv ballot. J. Harrington. [Rare.] 
balloting (bal'ot-ing), n. [Verbal n. of ballot 1 , 
t?.] 1. The act of casting or taking a ballot: 
as, the balloting began at 2 o'clock. 2. A spe- 
cific instance in which a ballot is taken ; a vote. 
From the result of the balloting* yesterday, I deem it 
highly improbable that I shall receive the nomination. 
Buchanan, in Curtis, ii. -J. 
ballotist (bal'ot-ist), n. [< ballot 1 + -ist.'] An 
advocate of voting by ballot, 
ballottade, . See ballotade. 
ballottement (ba-lot'ment), n. [F., a tossing, 
< ballotter, toss: see ballotade.'] In obstet., a 
method of testing pregnancy. 
ballow 1 1, a. [Appar. < ME. baloicc, balwe, balge, 
balgh, round, rounded, smooth, appar. < AS. 
batlg, ba'li;/, a bag: see bellows and belly.'] An 
epithet of uncertain meaning, in the following 
passage: the apparent etymology suggests 
round,' 'pot-bellied.' 
The ballow nag outstrips the winds in chase. 
lifiiiitnn, Polyolbion, iii. 40. (A'. K. D.) 
ballow' 2 (bal'6), . [Etym. unknown.] Naut., 
deep water inside a shoal or bar. Smyth, Sail- 
or's Word-Book. (N. E. D.) 
28 
ball-proof (bal'prdf), a. Capable of resisting 
balls from lirearnis; impenetrable by bullets. 
ball-rack (bal'rak), n. In /irintiiti/, the ruck 
which held the balls formerly used in inking. 
ball-rOOm (bal'riim), n. A room expressly de- 
signed for balls or dancing parties, or a room 
in which such entertainments are given. 
ball-screw (biil'skro), . A screw which can 
be attached to the end of the ramrod of a gun. 
for the purpose of extracting a bullet from the 
barrel. 
ball-seater (bal'se'ter), n. A tool used in 
lining the ball of a cartridge accurately in line 
with the axis of the shell. 
ball-Stock (bal'stok), n. In printing, formerly, 
a stock somewhat hollow at one end, to which 
the ball was attached, and which served as a 
handle. See ball 1 , 9. 
ball-train (bal'trau), n. A set of rolls for roll- 
ing pnddlers' balls or loops into bars. 
ball-trimmer (bal'trim'er), n. A lathe for fin- 
ishing musket-balls. 
ball-trolly (bal'trol'i), n. A small iron truck 
used in conveying the balls of puddled iron 
from the puddling-furnace to the tilt-hammer 
or squeezer. E. H. Knight. 
ballustredt (bal'us-terd), a. Same as balustered. 
Dry den. 
ball-valve (bal'valv), . A valve formed by a 
globe resting upon a concave circular seat. 
It is lifted by tlie upward pressure of the fluid, and de- 
scends by gravity when that pressure is removed. See 
ball-cock. 
ball-vein (bal'van), . Same as ball-ironstone. 
bally (bal'i), . [Repr. Ir. Gael, baile, Manx 
l>i</ley, a town, village.] A town: an element 
in many place-names in Ireland: as, Ballywa\- 
ter, upper town; .BaHycastle, castle-town; 
/JaHymoney, town on the moss, etc. 
The old tribal division of the ballyi Into " quarters " and 
" tates " has left distinct and numerous traces in the names 
of the present townlands In Ireland. 
Seebohm, Eng. Vill. Communities, p. 223. 
balm (bam), . [The spelling has been altered 
to bring it nearer balsam ; early mod. E. also 
baulm, baum, < ME. baume, bawme, basme, bame, 
< OF. bausine, basme, mod. F. baume = Pr. basme 
= Sp. bdlsamo =Pg. It. balsamo, < L. balsainum, 
< Gr. (id^aa/iov, balsam : see balsam.'] 1 . An oily, 
aromatic, resinous substance, exuding sponta- 
neously from trees of the genus Balsamoden- 
dron ; hence, by extension, any aromatic or odo- 
riferous exudation from trees or shrubs, whether 
spontaneous or after incision ; balsam. 
And sweetest breath of woodland balm. 
Whittier, Flowers in Winter. 
2f. An aromatic preparation used in embalm- 
ing the dead. See embalm. 3. Any aromatic 
or fragrant ointment, whether for ceremonial 
or for medicinal use, as for healing wounds or 
soothing pain. (For the ecclesiastical use, see 
balsam.) 
Thy place is flll'd, thy sceptre wrung from thee. 
Thy balm rtiash'd off, wherewith thou wast anointed. 
SAot., 3 Hen. VI., ill. I. 
4. Aromatic fragrance ; sweet odor. 5. Any- 
thing which heals, soothes, or mitigates pain. 
Sleep, that knits up the ravell'd sleave of care, 
The death of each day's life, sore labour's bath, 
Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course. 
S/tat., Macbeth, ii. 2. 
Heal the wounded spirit with the balm 
Of pity. Bryant, Better Age. 
6. A tree that yields balm ; especially, a tree 
of the genus Balsamodendron. 7. One of sev- 
eral aromatic plants of the natural order Labi- 
ato, particularly plants of the genus Melissa. 
The garden- or lemon-balm, bee-balm, or balm-mint is 
M. ojlicinali*. Plants of other genera so named are the 
bastard balm, Melittis meli#sophyllu>n ; the bee-balm of 
American gardens, Moiuirda didyma ; the horse-balm, Col- 
linsonia Canadeiunt; the nVld-halm. Xeptta Cataria; the 
Molucca balm, Molitcctlla Icevi* ; and the sweet balm, some- 
times called balm of Oilead, Dracocephalum Canarien*e. 
Abraham's-balm, an old name for an Italian willow. 
Balm of Gilead. (a) Balm or balsam of Mecca, or of Syria, 
an oleo-resin, once of great repute and still esteemed in 
the East for its fragrance and medicinal properties. Mixed 
with oil, it constitutes the chrism of the Roman Catholic 
Church. It is the product of a tree or shrub, Cmiimi- 
phora (Balmnwleiulron) Opobalnamum, which also yields 
myrrh. It is now produced, so far as is known, only iu 
Arabia. (6) A fragrant resin from South America. See 
carauna. (c) In North America, the balsam-poplar. Pop- 
uiue balmmifera, the buds of which are coated In spring 
balneary 
with an iidiipiiiiM balxani ; al><> "<< :i^i"ii;ill\ tin h.-iNain-tir, 
Aii>>-* luti"'!!!!'''!, irhiob yulda the Canada tialsam. <</) The 
BWee1 lialin. /'"" "' //'"/"/*' ' ' '">\r). 
Balm of heaven, <N'' "f the many nani'-- -iu T] in Cali- 
fornia to the '/''"" a JaimiecoitD tree 
with very strongly m-'iiiatii 1 f<l 
balm (liiini), r. t. [< MK. IIIIIIIHI-II. hamm, < 
baume, balm. Cf. OF. i/i//r, embalm: see 
i-inlMiliH.] 1. To embalm. 
Shrnuded ill cloth of state '. 
/;.</, ./ and eiitreasnr'd with full lints* "1 spices! 
.SA.it- . Ivri.-lei,. iii. 'J. 
2. To anoint as witli balm or with anything 
fragrant or medicinal. 
/,Wm his f"iil head in warm distilled waters. 
Mule., T. of the s., I ml., i. 
3. To soothe; mitigate; assuage; heal. 
Oppressed nature sleeps: 
Thin rest might yet have l*il,n / thy broken .sennet 
,s/ii-., Lear, iii. 6. 
[Obsolete or archaic in all uses.] 
balmaiden (bal'ma'dn), . [< but + maiiii-n.] 
A girl or young woman employed in the mines 
of Cornwall, England. 
The smock-frock is a survival of a ploughman's dress, 
and the Cornish miner and mine-girl (or ///;/. <i/,/o ba>e 
a sort of peasant dress. -V. ///;' ',' lith Mr., IX. 508. 
balm-cricket (bitm'krik"et), . [Earlier baum- 
n-irl.-et, appar. a half translation of G. buuni- 
i/i-illt; tree-cricket, < baum, a tree (= E. beam), 
+ grille, n cricket: see tlri/llits.] The field- 
cricket, Crrylliis <-n HI iicntris. 
Tlie balm-cricM carols clear 
In the green that folds thy grave. 
fennt/ton, A Dirge. 
balmert (bS'mer), n. One who or that which 
embalms. 
Blood must be my trody's only bahner, 
No other balm will there be given. 
Kaleiijh, The Pilgrimage. 
balmify (ba'mi-fi), r. *. ; pret. and pp. balmi- 
fied, ppr. balmifying. [< balm -t- -i-fy : see -fy."\ 
To render balmy. [Rare.] 
Tlie fluids have been entirely sweetened and balmiftd. 
O. Cheyne, Eng. Malady, p. 806. 
balmily (ba'mi-li), adv. In a balmy manner. 
balminess (ba'mi-nes), n. The state or quality 
of being balmy. 
balm-mint (bam'mint), . Same as garden- 
balm. See balm, 7. 
balmony (bal'mo-ni), . [Appar. a var. of bald- 
money.] A name sometimes given in the United 
States to the plant snakehead, Chelone glabra. 
Balmoral (bal-mor'al), a. or n. A name given 
(usually with a capital as an adjective and with- 
out as a noun) to various articles of dress pos- 
sessing unusual strength and weight, in imi- 
tation of the materials or style of those worn 
out of doors by Queen Victoria, or the mem- 
bers of her family, during visits to the royal 
residence at Balmoral, in Aberdeenshire, Scot- 
land. Balmoral boots, shoes or ankle-boots that lace 
up in front, worn by both men and women. Also called 
balmorals. Balmoral petticoat, a woolen petticoat, 
originally red with black stripes, intended to 1* displayed 
below the skirt of the dress, which was looped up. 
balmy (ba'mi), a. [< balm + -y 1 .] 1. Having 
the qualities of balm ; aromatic ; fragrant. 
O balmy breath, that doth almost persuade 
Justice to break her sword ! Shat., Othello, v. 2. 
And I would be the necklace, 
And all day long to fall and rise 
Upon her balmy bosom, 
With her laughter or her sighs. 
Tennynon, Miller's Daughter. 
2. Producing balm : as, "the balmy tree," Pope, 
Windsor Forest, 1. 30. 3. Soft; soothing; as- 
suaging; refreshing. 
Now with the drops of this most balmy time 
My love looks fresh. Shale., Sonnets, cvii. 
Tired nature's sweet restorer, balmy sleep. 
Young, Night Thoughts, V. I. 
4. Of healing virtue ; healing: as, balmy medi- 
cines. 
balnea, . Plural of balneum. 
balnealt (bal'ne-al), n. [< L. balneum, a (warm) 
bath (see balneum), + -al. The L. adj. is bal- 
nearis or balnearius.} Of or pertaining to a 
bath: as, "balneal heat," Howell, Letters, I. 
vi. 35. 
balneary (bal'ne-a-ri), a. and n. [< L. balnea- 
rim, pertaining to a bath (neut. pi. balnearia, a 
bathing-room), < balneum, abath: see balneum."] 
I. a. Of or pertaining to baths or bathing. 
The French do not treat their beaches as we do oure 
as places for a glance, a dip, or a trot, places animated 
simply during the balneary hours. 
H. Jame*, Jr., Portraits of Places, p. 142. 
II. n. ; pi. balnearies (-riz). A room or pro- 
vision of any kind for bathing. 
The balnearitt and bathing-places. 
SiV T. Bnncnf, Vnlg. Krr., vl. 7. 
