counterweight
counterweight — noun
- counterweightsingular
- counterweightsplural
1. an object that is heavy enough to balance another object on the opposite side of
an object that is heavy enough to balance another object on the opposite side of a mechanical system such as a crane, elevator, or winch, preventing the system from tipping or falling
The tower crane's concrete counterweight kept it steady as Tariq lifted heavy steel beams.
concrete counterweight — shows material + location
Faisal watched the elevator counterweight slide down as the empty car rose past him.
elevator counterweight — common technical collocation
Maeve used a stone-filled bag as a counterweight to keep the kite from dipping.
Luca checked the brass counterweight inside the grandfather clock before adjusting the pendulum.
The stage crew added a counterweight to stop the lighting boom from tilting forward.
- counterbalance
nearly identical in meaning; 'counterbalance' can also be a verb, which 'counterweight' cannot.
- balance weight
less common; mostly used in engineering contexts.
- ballast
used on ships or in vehicles; ballast is heavy material for stability rather than a designed balancing part.
文法句型
counterweight + for/to [something]
serve as a counterweight
用法筆記
This sense is strictly physical — the weight must be part of a mechanical system. The word also has a figurative use (e.g., 'a counterweight to political power') meaning something that limits the effect of something else, though this abstract sense is less common in everyday speech.