Emily Dickinson Lexicon

balk (-ed, -ing), v. [OE 'ridge, bank'.]

Thwart; hinder; baffle; bewilder; foil; frustrate; perplex; disappoint; dampen.

ball (-s), n. [ME] (webplay: astronomy, atmosphere, borne, burn, dance, dancing, earth, earth filled, eye, feet, fire, foot, hair, hand, hold, houses, invitation, leap, light, play, serve, snow, throw, toss).

1. Earth; planet; globe; world.
2. Sun; solar globe on the horizon at sunset.
3. Tutu; dance costume; ball gown; ballet dress; full circular dancing skirt; [word play with ballet] cotillion; choreography; ballet corp; party with dancing.
4. Eye; orb.
5. Round toy; spherical object for play.
6. Round wrapped mass; solid spherical bundle of spun threads.
7. Nugget; lump of precious metal.
8. Bullet; shot; lead missile projected from a cannon.
9. Bit; speck; mote; molecule; particle; [fig.] sun ray; sunset color.

ballad (-s, -'s), n. [OFr 'dancing song'.] (webplay: sing, solemn, tune).

1. Bird song; tonal message; pattern of sound.
2. Song; strain; lyric; popular tune; lighthearted melody.
3. Phrase. “Border Ballad”: riding ballad; poem from the Borders area of Scotland and England; anthem telling brave deeds; text commemorating a raid at the Border; battle poem by Sir Walter Scott recounting combat between the English and the Scots armies; [fig.] bard's song; [see border, adj.]
4. Music; lyrical poetry; [phrase “Of Ballads and of Bards”]: of poems and of poets; from the ancient tradition of memorializing the dead in oral and written compositions.

ballet, n. [Fr. dim. of bal, dance.] (webplay: airs, ball, dance).

Theatrical dance; elegant French dance form.

balloon (-s), n. [It. 'great ball, football'.] (webplay: air, football, light, long, open, wind).

1. Sun; celestial globe [word play on “ball”]; [fig.] dream; idea; ideal; hope; success; human life.
2. Aerostat; round blimp; flying hot-air vehicle; floating inflatable ball; gas-filled silk bag with a basket for carrying people.

ballot (-s), n. [It. dim. of balla, ball.] (webplay: vote).

1. Lottery; lot-drawing; game of chance.
2. Poll; decision; nomination; voting-ticket; [fig.] final judgment; ultimate destiny.

balm (-s), n. [ME basme < L.; see balsam, n.] (webplay: easing, growth, odoriferous, pain, taste).

1. Relief; comfort (see Jeremiah 8:22).
2. Pollen; [fig.] fragrance; bouquet; floral aroma; scent of flower pollen.
3. Medicine; remedy; soothing cream; pain-relieving ointment.
4. Emollient; perfume; essence; sweet-smelling unguent; oil used to prepare the dead for burial (see Genesis 37:25).
5. Nectar; nourishing liquid; revitalizing fluid.

balsam, n. [L.] (webplay: tree).

Soothing resin; balm of Gilead; oily aromatic substance from plants such as copaiba, benzoin, and storax; [fig.] sweetness; goodness.

Baltic, proper n. [Med. L. < Lithuanian or Lettish baltas, white.] (webplay: sea).

Northern European sea; body of water that separates Norway and Sweden from Denmark and Germany; [metonymy] ocean; great geographic feature; [fig.] source of power.

ban, n. [OFr < med. L. 'proclamation commanding or forbidding under threat of penalty'.]

Engagement; betrothal; wedding announcement; decree of marriage.