n (1) 天平(weighing instrument with two pans hanging from a beam supporting in the middle) [C]：Weigh it on the～. 在天平上称一下。〖同〗scales;

(2) 平衡 1) (重量)平衡 (state of physical steadiness in which weight is evenly distribut-ed) [U]：To walk on a tightrope needs good～.走钢丝需要平衡能力很好。keep/lose one's～保持/失去平衡; keep sth in～使……保持平衡;knock sb off his～使……失去平衡;catch/throw sb off～发现/使……失去平衡;be out of～失去平衡;～of forces力量相当;a good sense of～良好的平衡感; 2)(心理)平衡 (state of mental or emotional steadiness)[U]：(sb's sudden death) upset/disturb the～of his mind (某人的突然去世)使他心神恍惚;retain a sense of～to make a success of a job 保持心理平衡以使工作成功;She seemed off～after her long illness. 久病之后她似乎情绪不稳。

(3) 协调，平衡 1) (两者之间的)协调，均衡(state that exists when both sides are equal or in correct proportion) [U， a～][N(in/between)]：achieve (maintain/strike) a～between work and rest/humour and seriousness 达到(保持/寻求)工作与休息/幽默与严肃的协调;try to keep the～between successful teaching and happy students 努力使教学成功同时学生又愉悦;a good～in presentation of different opinions 不偏不倚地介绍不同的意见;upset the～in nature 破坏了生态平衡;～of power势均力敌;决定均衡的小团体势力;〖同〗proportion;〖反〗imbalance; 2)(整体中各部分的)协调，和谐(satisfying proportion or arrangement of parts or elements in a whole)[U， a～]：a～of colour in a room 房间内色彩的协调;(painting) have a pleasing～of shapes and colours (画)式样与颜色非常协调;All the parts of the design are in perfect～.这设计的各个部分很协调。〖同〗harmony;

(4) (收支)差额(difference between two columns of an account， i.e. the totals of the money that comes in and that goes out) [C， 通常sing]：check one's bank～查对自己银行账户上还有多少钱;a large bank～大笔银行存款(余额);The～on your account isn't large/is ￡5.你账上的钱数不多了/是五英镑。have a～of ￡50 in one's bank account 银行账上有50英镑余款;～of a country's payments/trade 一个国家的国际收支/贸易差额;

(5) 余额(数) 1) 欠款 (amount (of money) still owed after some payment has been made)[C，通常sing]：pay/give sb the～within one week一周之内付/给某人余下的欠款;I'll pay a deposit now and give you the～tomorrow.我现在交押金，明天补给你所差的款子。2) 剩余部分 (remainder of sth; sth left over) [C， the～]：take the～of one's holiday/one's leave 度剩余的假期/休余下的假;complete the～of one's work把余下的活干完;supply the～of one's order 供给某人订货中余欠部分;The～of the evidence goes against him.其他的证据对他不利。〖同〗 remainder，rest;

be/hang in the balance (决定、结果、前途等)悬而未决，不明：The future of the nation/His fate/Her life is (hanging) in the～.国家的前途/他的命运/她的生死未卜。

on balance 权衡起来：On～， his accomplishments outweigh his faults.总的来说，他的功大于过。

v (1) (使)平衡(稳)((cause to) be or remain in a state of physical steadiness， esp in a difficult position)[T+n， T+n+prep， I， I+prep]：～the weights on both sides of the scale 使天平两边的重物平衡;～a ball/a stick on (the end of) one's nose (finger)让一个球/一根棍子在鼻子(手指)(尖)上放平稳;～a jug of water on one's head 使一罐水顶在头上不倒;～(oneself) on one foot/one toe/a tight rope/the narrow window ledge用一只脚/用一个脚趾头/在一根绷紧的绳子上/在窄窄的窗台上站稳;The scales don't～.这天平两边不平衡。〖同〗steady;

(2) 1) 结(账) (go through an account and record the sum needed to make them equal)[T+n]：～an account/one's books结账;～the nation's budget 使国家的预算平衡;2) 收支平衡 (show no more money going out than coming in)[I]：His/The firm's accounts～this year.今年他的/商号的收支平衡。I can't get these accounts/these books to～. 我无法使这些账目收支平衡。3) 使收支平衡(make sure that no more money is going out of than coming into (an account))[T+n]：B～your accounts! 使收支平衡(要量入为出)! The company～s its accounts every month.这公司每月收支都平衡。

(3) 抵消，弥补(be of the same value as (sth opposite))[T+n]：The good～s the bad. 好与坏抵消。This year's profits～s his previous losses. 今年的盈利弥补了去年的损失。His willingness to learn～s his lack of experience.他愿意学习弥补了经验不足。

(4) 权衡考虑 (compare one thing with another in one's mind) [T+n+prep (against)]：～the benefits against the costs/the good points against the bad points/the attractions of a high salary against the prospect of working long hours 权衡好处与代价/优点与缺点/高薪的诱惑与工作时间长两者的利弊;～d decision 全面权衡后做出的决定;〖同〗compare;

(5) 使均衡(compare (two or more things) with each other to try to make them equal)[T+n]：～the amount of time spent on arts and science subjects/the needs of the farmers and the city people/one's diet使学文科和理科的时间/城乡居民的需求/饮食均衡;～d diet 均衡的饮食;

→ ′balanced adj 平衡的;

【辨异】balance与rest和remains都可表示“剩余”之意。balance 是指算账相减后的“余额”，“余款”，“余数”;rest 指总数中所“剩下的物或人”;remains指使用或摧毁后的“剩余物”，因此可指“废墟”，“尸体”;还有 remnants，与remains意义相近，如：The remains/remnants of the meal were fed to the dog. (吃剩的饭菜喂了狗。) 还有remainder，与balance相近，指计算时相减后“余下的物或人”，与rest相比，语体色彩较为正式，如：The remainder/rest of the time was spent swimming.(余下的/其他的时间用于游泳了。) 此外，relic是“遗迹”，“古物”;residue是“残渣”。