BALLOON

balloon

(noun) large tough nonrigid bag filled with gas or heated air

balloon

(noun) small thin inflatable rubber bag with narrow neck

balloon, inflate, billow

(verb) become inflated; “The sails ballooned”

balloon

(verb) ride in a hot-air balloon; “He tried to balloon around the earth but storms forced him to land in China”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Noun

balloon (plural balloons)

An inflatable buoyant object, often (but not necessarily) round and flexible.

Such an object as a child’s toy or party decoration.

Such an object designed to transport people through the air.

(medicine) A sac inserted into part of the body for therapeutic reasons; such as angioplasty.

A speech bubble.

A type of glass cup, sometimes used for brandy.

(architecture) A ball or globe on the top of a pillar, church, etc.

(chemistry) A round vessel, usually with a short neck, to hold or receive whatever is distilled; a glass vessel of a spherical form.

(pyrotechnics) A bomb or shell.

(obsolete) A game played with a large inflated ball.

(engraving) The outline enclosing words represented as coming from the mouth of a pictured figure.

(slang) A woman's breast.

Synonym: Thesaurus:breasts

(slang) A small container for illicit drugs made from a condom or the finger of a latex glove, etc.

(finance) synonym of balloon payment

Synonyms

• (inflatable object)

• (child’s toy): toy balloon

• (in medicine)

• (speech bubble): speech bubble, fumetto

Hyponyms

• (transport): hot-air balloon, Montgolfier

Verb

balloon (third-person singular simple present balloons, present participle ballooning, simple past and past participle ballooned)

(intransitive) To increase or expand rapidly.

(intransitive) To go up or voyage in a balloon.

(transitive) To take up in, or as if in, a balloon.

(transitive) To inflate like a balloon.

(transitive, sports) To strike (a ball) so that it flies high in the air.

Source: Wiktionary


Bal*loon", n. Etym: [F. ballon, aug. of balle ball: cf. It. ballone. See 1st Ball, n., and cf. Pallone.]

1. A bag made of silk or other light material, and filled with hydrogen gas or heated air, so as to rise and float in the atmosphere; especially, one with a car attached for aërial navigation.

2. (Arch.)

Definition: A ball or globe on the top of a pillar, church, etc., as at St. Paul's, in London. [R.]

3. (Chem.)

Definition: A round vessel, usually with a short neck, to hold or receive whatever is distilled; a glass vessel of a spherical form.

4. (Pyrotechnics)

Definition: A bomb or shell. [Obs.]

5. A game played with a large inf [Obs.]

6. (Engraving)

Definition: 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 the warp.

Bal*loon", v. t.

Definition: To take up in, or as if in, a balloon.

Bal*loon", v. i.

1. To go up or voyage in a balloon.

2. To expand, or puff out, like a balloon.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



RESET




Word of the Day

29 March 2025

THOUGHTLESS

(adjective) without care or thought for others; “the thoughtless saying of a great princess on being informed that the people had no bread; ‘Let them eat cake’”


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