Definition of "balloon" in English

noun

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. (medicine) A sac inserted into part of the body for therapeutic reasons; such as angioplasty.

5. A speech bubble.

6. A wide rounded glass with a stem and foot, used for wine, brandy, etc.

7. (architecture) A ball or globe on the top of a pillar, church, etc.

   • the balloon of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London

8. (chemistry) A round vessel, usually with a short neck, to hold or receive whatever is distilled; a glass vessel of a spherical form.

9. (pyrotechnics) A bomb or shell.

10. (obsolete) A game played with a large inflated ball.

11. (engraving) The outline enclosing words represented as coming from the mouth of a pictured figure.

12. (slang) A woman's breast.

13. (slang) A small container for illicit drugs made from a condom or the finger of a latex glove, etc.

14. (finance) Synonym of balloon payment.

verb

1. (intransitive) To increase or expand rapidly.

   • His stomach ballooned from eating such a large meal.
   • Prices will balloon if we don't act quickly.

2. (intransitive) To go up or voyage in a balloon.

3. (transitive) To take up in, or as if in, a balloon.

4. (transitive) To inflate like a balloon.

5. (transitive, sports) To strike (a ball) so that it flies high in the air.

   • After four minutes, leading goalscorer Haworth slid in but ballooned the ball over from six yards, and Hume then outran the defence to get to the by-line, but he could only hit his cross straight out.

6. (aviation) Of an aircraft: to plunge alternately up and down.