balloon
noun
[ bəˈluːn ]
• a small coloured rubber bag which is inflated with air and then sealed at the neck, used as a child's toy or a decoration.
• "the room was festooned with balloons and streamers"
• a large bag filled with hot air or gas to make it rise in the air, typically one carrying a basket for passengers.
• "he set his sights on crossing the Pacific by balloon"
Similar:
hot-air balloon,
fire balloon,
barrage balloon,
weather balloon,
airship,
dirigible,
Zeppelin,
Montgolfier,
envelope,
gasbag,
blimp,
• a rounded outline in which the words or thoughts of characters in a comic strip or cartoon are written.
• "a balloon reading ‘Ka-Pow!’"
• a large rounded drinking glass, used especially for brandy.
• "a balloon of armagnac"
• a stupid person.
balloon
verb
• swell out in a spherical shape.
• "the trousers ballooned out below his waist"
Similar:
swell (out),
puff out/up,
bulge (out),
bag,
belly (out),
fill (out),
billow (out),
blow up,
inflate,
distend,
expand,
dilate,
• (with reference to a ball) lob or be lobbed high in the air.
• "the ball ballooned into the air"
• travel by hot-air balloon.
• "he is famous for ballooning across oceans"
Origin:
late 16th century (originally denoting a game played with a large inflated leather ball): from French ballon or Italian ballone ‘large ball’.
