Equilibrating

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Causing or helping something to reach a state of balance or stability through adjustment
2. Adjusting elements so they are evenly proportioned or stable, preventing imbalance
3. Ensuring that various factors are evenly matched or steady, maintaining equal forces

Etymology: "Equilibrating" is the present participle of "equilibrate", which means to bring into balance. The verb is built on Latin "aequilibrare", a compound of "aequus" (equal, level) and "libra" (balance, scale), so the core idea is literally "making the scales level." The Latin root "libra" is also the source of the pound weight and the zodiac sign Libra, both tied to the image of a balance. The verb "equilibrate" descends from a Late Latin form, "aequilibrō", the stem that the English word draws on. Its use is mainly technical, appearing in chemistry, physiology, and economics, where a system is said to be adjusting its parts until they settle into balance. The participle form simply describes that process while it is happening.

Synonyms: balancing, stabilizing, equalizing, adjusting, leveling

Antonyms: destabilizing, unbalancing, disrupting, disordering, upsetting