el lastre
ballast
Word: lastre
Meaning:
In Spanish, lastre primarily refers to ballast, which is a heavy material placed in the hold of a ship to ensure stability and balance. It can also be used metaphorically to describe something that weighs down or hinders progress or movement, like a burden or obstacle.
Breakdown:
- Origin: Derived from Old Spanish, related to maritime contexts.
- Parts: The word itself is a single noun, not divided into smaller morphemes for meaning.
Definitions:
- Maritime: Heavy material (like stones, sand, or iron) used as ballast to stabilize a ship or aircraft.
- Figurative: A burden or hindrance that slows progress or creates difficulties.
Synonyms:
- For the literal meaning (ballast): lastre can be synonymous with contrapeso (counterweight) or peso (weight).
- For the figurative meaning (burden): carga (load, burden), obstáculo (obstacle), fardo (burden), traba (impediment).
Antonyms:
- For literal meaning: absence of lastre, such as flotabilidad (buoyancy).
- For figurative meaning: impulso (impulse), ayuda (help), facilitación (facilitation).
Example sentences:
-
El barco cargó lastre para asegurarse de que navegara establemente.
(The ship took on ballast to ensure it sailed stably.) -
La burocracia excesiva es un lastre para el progreso empresarial.
(Excessive bureaucracy is a burden for business progress.)
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Examples
Añadieron suficiente lastre para equilibrar la carga del globo.noun
They added enough ballast to balance the balloon's load.
Tuvieron que arrojar el lastre para subir más rápido.noun
They had to throw out the ballast to climb faster.
El ingeniero revisó el lastre antes de iniciar el viaje.noun
The engineer checked the ballast before starting the trip.
El viejo submarino necesitaba más lastre para mantenerse estable bajo el agua.noun
The old submarine needed more ballast to stay stable underwater.
Sin el lastre adecuado, el barco podría balancearse demasiado en el mar.noun
Without the proper ballast, the ship could rock too much at sea.
El piloto comprobó que el lastre estaba distribuido correctamente antes del despegue.noun
The pilot checked that the ballast was distributed correctly before takeoff.
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