tip the scales en · VERB
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Meanings
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(idiomatic) To turn to one side of a balanced situation.
"But an uprising in the central provinces would tip the scales for us!" exclaimed Conan.
1935-1936, Robert E. Howard, The Hour of the Dragon:That lends further credence to the argument that continuing to use diesel in low and limited circumstances makes sense. Unless, of course, we use so little across the country that it becomes rare and expensive. That might tip the scales against it, but I can't see that happening any time soon.
2022 November 16, Philip Haigh, “German study puts hydrogen at the back of the queue”, in RAIL, number 970, page 51:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| tipping the scales | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| tipped the scales | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| tipped the scales | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| tip the scale | alternative | lexicographic | |
| tips the scales | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic |
Deriveds
Relateds
Synonyms
Translations (11)
fi kallistaa vaaka (to turn a balanced situation to one side) · fi kääntää tilanne (to turn a balanced situation to one side) · pl przechylać szalę (to turn a balanced situation to one side) · es inclinar la balanza (to turn a balanced situation to one side) · es declinar la balanza (to turn a balanced situation to one side) · fr faire pencher la balance (to turn a balanced situation to one side) · pl przechylić szalę (to turn a balanced situation to one side) · ru обеспе́чить переве́с (to turn a balanced situation to one side) · fi vaikuttaa ratkaisevasti (to turn a balanced situation to one side) · pl być języczkiem u wagi (to turn a balanced situation to one side) · ru переве́сить (to turn a balanced situation to one side)