unˈballasted, ppl. a.
[un-1 8.]
1. Of vessels: Not ballasted or rendered steady by ballast.
| 1657 F. Cockin Div. Blossomes 22 And such a heart, like an unballast'd Ship, Is turned o'r with e'ry breath of wind. 1678 Cudworth Intell. Syst. i. iv. §31. 472 These have cut off the most excellent Fulcrum of the Soul,..by means whereof, like unballasted ships, they are tossed up and down perpetually. 1829 I. Taylor Enthus. ii. 41 Yesterday the unballasted vessel was seen hanging out all the gaiety of its colours. 1897 Outing (U.S.) XXX. 334/1 No better demonstration of the superiority of the light⁓draught and unballasted sailboat over the deep, heavy one has been given. |
b. fig. Not steadied or kept in order by serious or solid qualities.
| 1644 Milton Educ. 2 To be tost and turmoild with their unballasted wits in fathomles and unquiet deeps of controversie. 1670 C. Gataker in Gataker's Antid. Errour Ep. Ded. A iij, The shame and misery will light heavie at last upon these unballasted mindes. 1697 Collier Ess. Mor. Subj. i. (1703) 182 An unexperienced unballasted Divine must be an improper missionary. 1701 ― M. Aurel., Life p. xxiv, Lucius Verus had none of these good Qualities; his Inclinations were eager, unballasted, and lewd. 1796 C. Smith Marchmont III. 144 The unballasted head of Linda..was quite overset. 1809 Southey Lett. (1856) II. 151 Both these men are such unballasted politicians, that the public mind could not be worse guided. 1870 Lowell Study Wind. 179 Percival..offers an example..of the poetic temperament unballasted with those less obvious qualities, which make the poetic faculty. |
2. Of a railway line: Not filled in with ballast.
| 1887 M. Roberts Western Avernus 204, I could not step in between, for the line was unballasted. 1891 Cycling 21 Feb. 75 Riding over the ‘sleepers’ on an unballasted railroad would be preferable. |