have two equally possible results, be uncertain After the opposition party won the election whether or not the new highway will be built hangs in the balance.
off balance
not prepared, unable to meet the unexpected I was caught a little off balance when he asked me to deliver the speech instead of him.
the balance of power
"the deciding votes; votes that cause the winner, tip the scales" He will try to get the support of the workers because they hold the balance of power.
tip the balance
have important or decisive influence, decide His ability to speak French tipped the balance in his favor to get the job at the embassy.
strike a balance between two things
Idiom(s): strike a balance (between two things)
Theme: COMPROMISE
to find a satisfactory compromise between two extremes. • The political party must strike a balance between the right wing and the left wing. • Jane is overdressed for the party and Sally is undepressed. What a pity they didn't strike a balance.
in the balance
Idiom(s): in the balance
Theme: INDECISION
in an undecided state. • He stood on the edge of the cliff his life in the balance. • With his fortune in the balance, John rolled the dice.
checks and balances
Idiom(s): checks and balances
Theme: BALANCE
a system where power is kept in control and balance between the various branches of government. (Fixed order.) • The newspaper editor claimed that the system of checks and balances built into our Constitution has been subverted by party politics. • We depend on checks and balances in government to keep despots from seizing control of the government.
catch sb off-balance
Idiom(s): catch sb off-balance
Theme: SURPRISE
to catch a person who is not prepared; to surprise someone. • Sorry I acted so flustered. You caught me off-balance. • The robbers caught Ann off-balance and stole her purse.
balance the accounts
Idiom(s): balance the accounts AND balance the books
Theme: ACCOUNTING
to determine through accounting that accounts are in balance, that all money is accounted for. • Jane was up all night balancing the accounts. • The cashier was not allowed to leave the bank until the manager balanced the books.
balance the books
Idiom(s): balance the accounts AND balance the books
Theme: ACCOUNTING
to determine through accounting that accounts are in balance, that all money is accounted for. • Jane was up all night balancing the accounts. • The cashier was not allowed to leave the bank until the manager balanced the books.
catch off balance|balance|catch
v. phr. To confront someone with physical force or with a statement or question he or she is not prepared to answer or deal with; to exploit the disadvantage of another. The smaller wrestler caught his opponent off balance and managed to throw him on the float in spite of his greater weight and strength.Your question has caught me off balance; please give me some time to think about your problem.
hang in the balance|balance|hang
v. phr. To have two equally possible results; to be in doubt; be uncertain. Until Jim scored the winning touchdown, the outcome of the game hung in the balance.She was very sick and her life hung in the balance for several days. Compare: HANG BY A THREAD.
keep one's balance|balance|keep
v. phr. To stay even-tempered; not become overexcited. Mike has the best personality to run our office; he always keeps his balance. Antonym: LOSE ONE'S BALANCE.
lose one's balance|balance|lose|lose balance
Antonym: KEEP ONE'S BALANCE.
off balance|balance|off
adj. phr. 1. Not in balance; not able to stand up straight and not fall; not able to keep from turning over or falling; unsteady. Never stand up in a canoe; it will get off balance and turn over.Paul was speeding along on his bicycle, when an unexpected hole in the road caught him off balance and he fell over. 2. Not prepared; not ready; unable to meet something unexpected. Our quarterback kept the other team off balance by changing often from line plays to passes and tricky end runs.The teacher's surprise test caught the class off balance, and nearly everyone got a poor mark.
on balance Taking everything into consideration, as in On balance I think we've had a very good year. This expression, which in effect means “balancing all the factors involved,” was first recorded in 1719.
redress the balance
redress the balance Readjust matters, restore equilibrium, as in If our party wins in a few big cities, it will redress the balance of urban and rural interests in the House. [Mid-1800s]
strike a balance
strike a balance Find a compromise, as in We have to strike a balance between what we want and what we can afford. This expression alludes to accounting, where it signifies finding a profit or loss by weighing income versus outlay. [Mid-1800s]
An bala idiom dictionary is a great resource for writers, students, and anyone looking to expand their vocabulary. It contains a list of words with similar meanings with bala, allowing users to choose the best word for their specific context.
相似词典,不同的措词,同义词,成语 成语 bala