Bal"ance*reef` (&?;), n. (Naut.) The last reef in a fore-and-aft sail, taken to steady the ship.
Bal"ance wheel` (&?;). 1. (Horology) (a) A wheel which regulates the beats or pulses of a watch or chronometer, answering to the pendulum of a clock; -- often called simply a balance. (b) A ratchet-shaped scape wheel, which in some watches is acted upon by the axis of the balance wheel proper (in those watches called a balance).
2. (Mach.) A wheel which imparts regularity to the movements of any engine or machine; a fly wheel.
Bal`a*nif"er*ous (&?;), a. [L. balanus acorn + -ferous.] Bearing or producing acorns.
Bal"a*nite (&?;), n. [L. balanus acorn: cf. F. balanite.] (Paleon.) A fossil balanoid shell.
||Bal`a*no*glos"sus (&?;), n. [NL., fr. Gr. ba`lanos acorn + glw^ssa tongue.] (Zoöl) A peculiar marine worm. See Enteropneusta, and Tornaria.
Bal"a*noid (&?;), a. [Gr. balanos acorn + -oid.] (Zoöl.) Resembling an acorn; -- applied to a group of barnacles having shells shaped like acorns. See Acornshell, and Barnacle.
Bal"as ru`by (&?;). [OE. bales, balais, F. balais, LL. balascus, fr. Ar. balakhsh, so called from Badakhshan, Balashan, or Balaxiam, a place in the neighborhood of Samarcand, where this ruby is found.] (Min.) A variety of spinel ruby, of a pale rose red, or inclining to orange. See Spinel.
Ba*laus"tine (&?;), n. [L. balaustium, Gr. balay`stion.] (Bot.) The pomegranate tree (Punica granatum). The bark of the root, the rind of the fruit, and the flowers are used medicinally.
{ Bal*bu"ti*ate (&?;), Bal*bu"ci*nate (&?;), } v. i. [L. balbutire, fr. balbus stammering: cf. F. balbutier.] To stammer. [Obs.]
||Bal*bu"ti*es (&?;), n. (Med.) The defect of stammering; also, a kind of incomplete pronunciation.
Bal"con (&?;), n. A balcony. [Obs.] Pepys.
Bal"co*nied (&?;), a. Having balconies.
Bal"co*ny (bl"k*n; 277), n.; pl. Balconies (-nz). [It. balcone; cf. It. balco, palco, scaffold, fr. OHG. balcho, palcho, beam, G. balken. See Balk beam.] 1. (Arch.) A platform projecting from the wall of a building, usually resting on brackets or consoles, and inclosed by a parapet; as, a balcony in front of a window. Also, a projecting gallery in places of amusement; as, the balcony in a theater.