1
use sth as ballast
这里指用来增加重量、使船舶或飞行器保持稳定的重物。
They used old iron weights as ballast to balance the ship.
他们用旧铁块作为压舱物来平衡船只。
压舱物；压载物
ballasts — plural of ballast
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
压舱物；压载物
heavy material carried in a ship or airship to keep it stable
They used old iron weights as ballast to balance the ship.
他们用旧铁块作为压舱物来平衡船只。
压舱物,置于船舱或气球吊篮中以提供稳定性
Heavy material that is placed in the hold of a ship (or in the gondola of a balloon), to provide stability.
使情绪或心态稳定的事物
Anything that steadies emotion or the mind.
铺在道路或铁路路基上或用于制混凝土的粗砾石或类似材料；道砟
Coarse gravel or similar material laid to form a bed for roads or railroads, or in making concrete; track ballast.
利用质量和重力将单层屋面膜固定就位的材料,如骨料或预制混凝土铺块。
A material, such as aggregate or precast concrete pavers, which employs its mass and the force of gravity to hold single-ply roof membranes in place.
The captain ordered the crew to add more ballast to the ship before the long voyage.
船长命令船员在远航前给船增加更多的压载物。
The airship released its water ballast to rise above the clouds.
飞艇释放了压舱水，以升到云层之上。
The submarine uses seawater as ballast to control its depth below the surface.
潜艇利用海水作为压载物来控制其在水面以下的深度。
这里指用来增加重量、使船舶或飞行器保持稳定的重物。
They used old iron weights as ballast to balance the ship.
他们用旧铁块作为压舱物来平衡船只。
此义为比喻用法，指能稳定情绪、精神或品格的事物。
Her faith provided ballast for her through the difficult times.
她的信仰在困难时期给了她精神支撑。
在铁路或公路语境中，指铺在路基上的碎石层。
The ballast for the railway line was made of crushed granite.
这条铁路线的道砟由碎石花岗岩铺成。
Not this
The ship carries ballasts to keep steady.
Use this
The ship carries ballast to keep steady.
当 ballast 表示压舱物/压载物时是不可数名词，不能用复数；这里应使用不带冠词的不可数名词 ballast。
Not this
The ship crossed the ocean on ballast.
Use this
The ship crossed the ocean in ballast.
‘空船压载航行’要用固定短语 in ballast，介词是 in 而不是 on；on ballast 是按汉语‘在……上’直译产生的错误。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
压载水
Ships must treat their ballast water before releasing it into the ocean.
船只在将压载水排放到海洋之前必须对其进行处理。
压载舱
The submarine filled its ballast tanks to dive underwater.
潜艇注满压载舱以便下潜。
道砟
Workers installed new track ballast to support the rails.
工人们铺设了新道砟以支撑铁轨。
（船）空载，只装有压载物
The cargo ship crossed the Atlantic in ballast.
这艘货船只装着压载物横渡了大西洋。
起稳定作用
Her experience acts as ballast for the young team.
她的经验为这支年轻团队起到了稳定作用。
荧光灯镇流器
The fluorescent ballast needs to be replaced because the light flickers.
荧光灯一直闪烁，镇流器需要更换了。
为……提供稳定因素；使……稳固
These experiences provided ballast for her later decisions.
这些经历为她后来的决定提供了稳固的基础。
道德支柱；精神力量
His faith was the moral ballast that kept him calm in the crisis.
他的信念是让他在危机中保持冷静的精神支柱。
（船只）只装压载物（无货物）；（喻）空载地
The ship crossed the Atlantic in ballast.
这艘船只装压载物横渡了大西洋。
Use ballasts naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
压舱物 ballast——重物压底，船稳不晃。
语域：formal 常见场景：maritime、aviation 该义项多用于航海、航空等专业技术语境或正式书面语，日常口语中较少使用。
表示“压载物、道砟”时通常不可数；表示“镇流器”时可数。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.