bal·loon (b -l n )n. 1. a. A flexible bag designed to be inflated with hot air or with a gas, such as helium, that is lighter than the surrounding air, causing it to rise and float in the atmosphere. b. Such a bag with sufficient capacity to lift and transport a suspended gondola or other load. c. Such a bag shaped like a figure or object when inflated; an inflatable. 2. A usually round or oblong inflatable rubber bag used as a toy. 3. Medicine A sac that is inserted into a body cavity or tube and distended with air or gas for therapeutic purposes, such as angioplasty. 4. A rounded or irregularly shaped outline containing the words that a character in a cartoon is represented to be saying. v. bal·looned, bal·loon·ing, bal·loons v.intr. 1. To ascend or ride in a balloon. 2. To expand or swell out like a balloon. See Synonyms at bulge. 3. To increase or rise quickly. v.tr. To cause to expand by or as if by inflating. adj. Suggestive of a balloon, as in shape: balloon curtains. [French ballon, from Italian dialectal ballone, augmentative of balla, ball, of Germanic origin; see bhel-2 in Indo-European roots.] bal·loon ist n. |
balloon [bəˈluːn]
n
1. an inflatable rubber bag of various sizes, shapes, and colours: usually used as a plaything or party decoration
2. (Engineering / Aeronautics) a large impermeable bag inflated with a lighter-than-air gas, designed to rise and float in the atmosphere. It may have a basket or gondola for carrying passengers, etc See also barrage balloon, hot-air balloon
3. a circular or elliptical figure containing the words or thoughts of a character in a cartoon
4. (Individual Sports & Recreations / Ball Games, other than specified) Brit
a. a kick or stroke that propels a ball high into the air
b. (as modifier) a balloon shot
5. (Chemistry) Chem a round-bottomed flask
6. a large rounded brandy glass
7. (Economics, Accounting & Finance / Accounting & Book-keeping) Commerce
a. a large sum paid as an irregular instalment of a loan repayment
b. (as modifier) a balloon loan
8. (Medicine / Surgery) Surgery
a. an inflatable plastic tube used for dilating obstructed blood vessels or parts of the alimentary canal
b. (as modifier) balloon angioplasty
go down like a lead balloon Informal to be completely unsuccessful or unpopular
when the balloon goes up Informal when the trouble or action begins
vb
1. (Engineering / Aeronautics) (intr) to go up or fly in a balloon
2. (intr) to increase or expand significantly and rapidly losses ballooned to £278 million
3. to inflate or be inflated; distend; swell the wind ballooned the sails
4. (Individual Sports & Recreations / Ball Games, other than specified) (tr) Brit to propel (a ball) high into the air
[C16 (in the sense: ball, ball game): from Italian dialect ballone, from balla, of Germanic origin; compare Old High German balla ball1]
ballooning n
balloonist n
balloon-like adj
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  balloon - large tough nonrigid bag filled with gas or heated airhot-air balloon - balloon for travel through the air in a basket suspended below a large bag of heated air lighter-than-air craft - aircraft supported by its own buoyancy meteorological balloon - a small unmanned balloon set aloft to observe atmospheric conditions ripcord - a cord that is pulled to open the gasbag of a balloon wide enough to release gas and so causes the balloon to descend trial balloon - a balloon sent up to test air currents |
| 2. |  balloon - small thin inflatable rubber bag with narrow neck | |
| Verb | 1. |  balloon - ride in a hot-air balloon; "He tried to balloon around the earth but storms forced him to land in China" |
| 2. |  balloon - become inflated; "The sails ballooned"reflate - become inflated again expand - become larger in size or volume or quantity; "his business expanded rapidly" |
balloon
noun
airship, hot-air balloon, Montgolfier, weather balloon the first to attempt to circle the Earth non-stop by balloon
Translations
balloon [bəˈluːn]
balloon [bəˈluːn]
modif (in hot-air balloon) [flight] → en montgolfière; [race] → de montgolfières
vi
(= increase) [deficit, debt, losses] → considérablement augmenter
(= get fatter) [person] (in size) → considérablement grossir; [weight] → considérablement augmenter
balloon
n
(Aviat) → (Frei)ballon m; (toy) → (Luft)ballon m; (Met) → (Wetter)ballon m; the balloon went up (fig inf) → da ist die Bombe geplatzt (inf); that went down like a lead balloon (inf) → das kam überhaupt nicht an
(in cartoons) → Sprechblase f
(Chem: also balloon flask) → (Rund)kolben m
vi
to go ballooning → auf Ballonfahrt gehen
(= swell out) → sich blähen
n balloon [bəˈluːn]
a large bag, made of light material and filled with a gas lighter than air They decorated the dance-hall with balloons. ballon بالون балон balon(ek) ballon der Luftballon μπαλόνι, αερόστατο globo õhupall بادکنک ilmapallo ballon בָּלוֹן गुब्बारा balon ballon balon blaðra mongolfiera 気球 기구 balionas balons belon ballon ballong balon balão balon воздушный шар balón balon balon ballong ลูกโป่ง; ลูกบอลลูน balon 氣球 повітряна куля غبارہ kinh khí cầu 气球
balloon → بالون balón ballon Luftballon μπαλόνι globo ilmapallo ballon balon pallone aerostatico 風船 풍선 ballon ballong balon balão надувной шар ballong ลูกโป่ง balon bóng bay 气球
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