steelyard

American  

[steel-yahrd, stil-yerd] / ˈstilˌjɑrd, ˈstɪl jərd /

noun

1. a portable balance with two unequal arms, the longer one having a movable counterpoise and the shorter one bearing a hook or the like for holding the object to be weighed.

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steelyard British  

/ ˈstiːlˌjɑːd /

noun

1. a portable balance consisting of a pivoted bar with two unequal arms. The load is suspended from the shorter one and the bar is returned to the horizontal by adding weights to the longer one

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Etymology

Origin of steelyard

First recorded in 1630–40; steel + yard ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

steelyard

One crane operator in a steelyard was James J. Braddock, world heavyweight champion from 1935 to 1937, when he lost the crown to Joe Louis.

From New York Times ● Jul. 1, 2014

It was the first substantial improvement in the art of weighing since the Romans developed the graduated steelyard.

From Time Magazine Archive

Balance constructed over this line will bring the worker to as unified a result as the use of the steelyard on the central vertical line.

From Pictorial Composition and the Critical Judgment of Pictures by Poore, Henry Rankin

And here, beyond belief, I held 'twixt my naked finger and thumb the steelyard by which my uncle's fate should be weighed, who had crossed me at every turn.

From Idonia: A Romance of Old London by Wallis, Arthur F.

The scales and steelyard which we have given are said to have been found at the same time.

From Museum of Antiquity A Description of Ancient Life by Haines, T. L. (Thomas Louis)