Part 508

Bal"lis*ter (bl"ls*tr or bl*ls"tr), n. [L. ballista. Cf. Balister.] A crossbow. [Obs.]

Bal*lis"tic (&?;), a. 1. Of or pertaining to the ballista, or to the art of hurling stones or missile weapons by means of an engine.

2. Pertaining to projection, or to a projectile.

Ballistic pendulum, an instrument consisting of a mass of wood or other material suspended as a pendulum, for measuring the force and velocity of projectiles by means of the arc through which their impact impels it.

Bal*lis"tics (&?;), n. [Cf. F. balistique. See Ballista.] The science or art of hurling missile weapons by the use of an engine. Whewell.

||Bal"li*um (&?;), n. [LL.] See Bailey.

Bal*loon" (&?;), n. [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.) A ball or globe on the top of a pillar, church, etc., as at St. Paul's, in London. [R.]

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

4. (Pyrotechnics) A bomb or shell. [Obs.]

5. A game played with a large inflated ball. [Obs.]

6. (Engraving) 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. 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.

Bal*looned" (&?;), a. Swelled out like a balloon.

Bal*loon"er (&?;), n. One who goes up in a balloon; an aëronaut.

Bal*loon" fish` (&?;). (Zoöl.) A fish of the genus Diodon or the genus Tetraodon, having the power of distending its body by taking air or water into its dilatable esophagus. See Globefish, and Bur fish.

Bal*loon"ing, n. 1. The art or practice of managing balloons or voyaging in them.

2. (Stock Exchange) The process of temporarily raising the value of a stock, as by fictitious sales. [U.S.]

Bal*loon"ing spi"der (&?;). (Zoöl.) A spider which has the habit of rising into the air. Many kinds (esp. species of Lycosa) do this while young by ejecting threads of silk until the force of the wind upon them carries the spider aloft.

Bal*loon"ist, n. An aëronaut.

Bal*loon"ry (&?;), n. The art or practice of ascending in a balloon; aëronautics.

Bal"lot (bl"lt), n. [F. ballotte, fr. It. ballotta. See Ball round body.]

1. Originally, a ball used for secret voting. Hence: Any printed or written ticket used in voting.

2. The act of voting by balls or written or printed ballots or tickets; the system of voting secretly by balls or by tickets.

The insufficiency of the ballot. Dickens.