Ballast

bal′last, n. heavy matter employed to give a ship sufficient immersion in the water, to insure her safe sailing with spread canvas, when her cargo and equipment are too light: that which renders anything steady.— v.t. to load with ballast: to make or keep steady: ( Shak. ) load.— n. Bal′last-heav′er . [Probably the Old Sw. bar last — bar , bare, and last , load, the mere load.]