balloon
//bəˈluːn//
Forms
- Plural
- balloons
- present (v1)
- balloon
- past (v2)
- ballooned
- past participle (v3)
- ballooned
- present participle
- ballooning
- 3rd person singular
- balloons
Definitions
1.An inflatable buoyant object, often (but not necessarily) round and flexible.
2.Such an object as a child’s toy or party decoration.
3.Such an object designed to transport people or equipment through the air.
4.A sac inserted into part of the body for therapeutic reasons; such as angioplasty.
1.To increase or expand rapidly.
- Prices will balloon if we don't act quickly.
- His stomach ballooned from eating such a large meal.
- ScotRail has long been run at a significant subsidy, with only the Edinburgh-Glasgow express line making a profit from fares, but government support has ballooned since the start of the pandemic.
2.To go up or voyage in a balloon.
3.To take up in, or as if in, a balloon.
4.To inflate like a balloon.
- A puff of wind from the open door caught and ballooned the scanties; off they sailed, out the window billowing into freedom.
Frequency
Overall
Rare· #4989
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Rare
- General reading & writing
- Rare
- Academic
- Rare
- Literature
- Rare
Related words
Word family
Etymology
First use appears c.
1591, "a game played with a large, inflated leather ball" (possibly via Middle French ballon) from Italian pallone (“large ball”) from palla (“ball”), from Lombardic *palla.