Also 8 æquilibrate. [f. late L. æquilībrāt- ppl. stem of *æquilībrāre: see prec.]
1. trans. To bring into or keep in a state of equipoise or equilibrium; to balance. Also const. with.
1635. N. Carpenter, Geog. Del., I. iii. 67. An iron-wire or needle, first equilibrated, and then stirred vp by the loadstone.
1713. Derham, Phys.-Theol., V. ii. 327. The Shoulders, Arms, and Sides æquilibrated on one Part.
1733. Arbuthnot, Ess. Effects Air, 24 (J.). The Bodies of Fishes are equilibrated with the Water in which they swim.
1844. De Quincey, Logic Pol. Econ., 230. To equilibrate the supply with the demand.
1860. Adm. Fitz-Roy, in Merc. Mar. Mag., VII. 356. It must go to equilibrate the atmosphere.
1872. Contemp. Rev., XX. 99. He may wisely try to equilibrate his impulses.
2. To be in equilibrium with; to counterpoise, balance.
1829. Nat. Philos., Mechanics, III. ii. 10 (Usef. Knowl. Soc.). The weight which equilibrates that of the body.
1865. Spectator, 4 Feb., 117/1. The excise duty on English malt is supposed to equilibrate the import duty on foreign malt.
1870. R. M. Ferguson, Electr., 122. The two forces would equilibrate each other.
3. absol. and intr. To be in a state of equilibrium; to balance. Const. with.
1829. Nat. Philos., Mechanics, III. ii. 10 (Usef. Knowl. Soc.). This weight will equilibrate with that of the body.
1830. Kater & Lardner, Mech., x. 129. The forces neutralise each other and mutually equilibrate.
1862. F. Hall, Hindu Philos. Syst., 17. When virtue and sin equilibrate, one inherits humanity.
1882. E. A. Douglas, in Nature, XXV. 504. In order that solar gravity and centrifugal force may equilibrate.
Hence Equilibrated, Equilibrating ppl. adjs.
1664. Power, Exp. Philos., III. 161. It will acquire so strong a Magnetism … that it will … turn an equilibrated Needle.
1816. J. Smith, Panorama Sci. & Art, I. 230. To explain the nature of the equilibrated arch.
1761. Earl Pembroke, Equitation (1778), 26. By a proper equilibrating position of the body.
1797. T. Jefferson, Writ. (1859), IV. 156. An equilibrating power against the fecundity of generation.
1882. Minchin, Unipl. Kinemat., 25. An equilibrating system of forces.
