What's the difference between balance and counterblance?

Question

I am confused with their usages.I will appreciate any of your explanations.

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]I am confused with their usages. I will appreciate any of your explanations.[/nq]
A counterbalance is a seperate weight balancing another weight; an equal weight, power, or influence acting in opposition; counterpoise.

Balance on the other hand has many meanings. There are words like that in English unfortunately, which have so many meanings that you have to draw the intended meaning from context.
balance

1. a state of equilibrium or equipoise; equal distribution ofweight, amount, etc. "I got the thing balanced on my shoulder well enough to be able to carry it"

2. something used to produce equilibrium; counterpoise.in this usage, balance and couterbalance mean the same thing. "The canoe was starting to tip over, so I moved those rucksacks over to balance it."

3. mental steadiness or emotional stability; "He has awell-balanced mind"

4. a state of bodily equilibrium: "He lost his balance and felldown the stairs."

5. an instrument for determining weight, typically by theequilibrium of a bar with a fulcrum at the center, from each end of which is suspended a scale or pan, one holding an object of known weight, and the other holding the object to be weighed.
6. the remainder or rest: "He carried what he could and left thebalance for us to bring."

7. the power or ability to decide an outcome by throwing one'sstrength, influence, support, or the like, to one side or the other. "The votes in control of this minor party therefor, held the balance of power in that country for years."

8. (in winemaking) the degree to which all the attributes of awine are in harmony, with none either too prominent or deficient. Not too sweet or too tannic, too acid or too fruity.
9. Accounting.a. equality between the totals of the two sides of an account. b. the difference between the debit total and the credit total of an account.
c. unpaid difference represented by the excess of debits over credits.

10. an adjustment of accounts.
11. the act of balancing; comparison as to weight, amount,importance, etc.; estimate.

12. preponderating factor: "The balance of the blame is on them!"
13. Fine Arts. composition or placement of elements of design, asfigures, forms, or colors, in such a manner as to produce an aesthetically pleasing or harmoniously integrated whole.
14. Dance. a balancing movement.
15. Horological: a wheel that oscillates against the tension of ahairspring to regulate the beats of a watch or clock.
16 Audio. (in a stereophonic sound system) the comparativeloudness of two speakers, usually set by a control (balance control) on the amplifier or receiver.

17 in the balance, with the outcome in doubt or suspense: Whilethe jury deliberated, his fate rested in the balance.
18. on balance, considering all aspects: On balance, the newproduct is doing well.

Usenet · Answer

Thank you for your reply John. I think I formed the wrong meaning of "counterbalance". Now I can distinguish them clearly.

Thank you so much.

What's the difference between balance and counterblance?

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