[f. med.L. æquiponderāt- ppl. stem of æquiponderāre, f. æquus equal + ponderāre to weigh.]
† 1. intr. To be in a state of equipoise. Const. to, with. Obs.
1641. Wilkins, Math. Magick, I. iv. (1648), 21. The power that doth equiponderate with any weight. Ibid. (1672), Nat. Relig., 11. The evidence on each side doth equiponderate.
1682. Weekly Mem. Ingen., 355. When Bodies … do equiponderate to the Bulk of Water equal to them.
1710. Brit. Apollo, III. No. 56. 2/1. They Equiponderate.
1822. Imison, Sc. & Art (ed. Webster), I. 20. The point about which they would equiponderate or rest in any position.
2. trans. To counterpoise, counterbalance.
1661. Boyle, Spring of Air, II. ii. (1682), 26. Till it is come to equiponderate a cylinder of Mercury of that height.
1673. Walker, Educ., 20. To equiponderate the prejudices of pleasure and interest.
1766. Amory, Life J. Buncle (1770), IV. 102. Both equiponderate (a pound suppose) in air.
1853. De Quincey, Autobiog. Sk., Wks. I. 162, note. Countervailing claims … had far more than equiponderated the declension.
3. trans. To put into a well-balanced condition.
1810. (see quot. for EQUIPONDERATED).
Hence Equiponderated, Equiponderating ppl. adjs.
1810. A. Knox, in Bp. Jebb’s Corr. (1834), II. 404. In this obviously measured and equiponderated speech.
1691. E. Taylor, Behmen’s Theos. Philos., 163. The Mean of Equiponderating Solemnity of Humane Creatures.
1879. G. Macdonald, Sir Gibbie, III. x. 167. His equiponderating description of the place of misery.
