counterbalance

plural counterbalances

1. literallyA weight that is put in opposition to an equal weight so it keeps that in balance.
2. figurativelyA force or influence that balances, checks or limits an opposite one.

present singular third person counterbalances · participle present counterbalancing · participle past counterbalanced · past counterbalanced

1. transitiveTo apply weight in order to balance an opposing weight.

   Big brother counterbalances his two siblings to the pound.

   1 more example

   […] the remaining Air was not able to counterballance the Mercurial Cylinder, […]

   1659 December 30 (date written), Robert Boyle, “[Experiment 17]”, in New Experiments Physico-Mechanicall, Touching the Spring of the Air, and Its Effects […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] H[enry] Hall, printer to the University, for Tho[mas] Robinson, published 1660, →OCLC, page 118

   Synonyms: counterpoise, equiponderate, counterweigh · Antonyms: outweigh

2. figurativelytransitiveTo match or equal in effect when applying opposing force.

   Arm wrestling is undecided as long as the opponents counterbalance each other.

   5 more examples

   The defenders' knowledge of the terrain roughly counterbalances the attackers' superior equipment.

   Still, a strong reluctance to re-enter a service from which he had been dismissed with contempt, almost counterbalanced these considerations.

   1820, [Walter Scott], chapter XV, in The Abbot. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne & Co.] for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […]; and for Archibald Constable and Company, and John Ballantyne, […], →OCLC, pages 333–334

   Perhaps her views of life were too morbid, but her companions had enough cheerfulness to counterbalance any undue tinge of sadness given by one who had obviously suffered much.

   1838 (date written), L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter VII, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], published 1842, →OCLC, page 84

   […] the study of mind is necessary to counterbalance and correct the influence of the study of matter; […]

   a. 1857, William Hamilton, “Lecture II. Philosophy—Its Absolute Utility. (B) Objective.”, in H[enry] L[ongueville] Mansel and John Veitch, editors, Lectures on Metaphysics and Logic […], volume I, Edinburgh; London: William Blackwood and Sons, published 1859, →OCLC, page 35

   A considerable effort has been made in these volumes to counterbalance this activity by introducing the student to the plants as living entities with a "life of their own," as Spruce put it.

   1992, Rudolf M[athias] Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, Chicago, Ill.: Field Museum of Natural History, →ISBN, page ix

   Synonyms: counterpoise, counteract · Antonyms: overcome, overpower