originally merely a place, a home, then a fort, a town, allied to the Grk. _polis._ The word joined with the article _an_ is found as _ballin_ for _baile-an_; _e.g._ Ballinrobe (the town of the R. Robe); Balbriggan (Brecon’s town); Ballintra and Ballintrae, in Ireland, and Ballantrae, in Scotland (the dwelling on the strand); Ballinure (the town of the yew); Ballintubbert (the town of the well); Ballinakill (of the church or wood); Ballinahinch (of the island); Ballinamona (of the bog), in Ireland; Ballycastle (castle town); Ballymena (middle town); Ballymony (of the shrubbery); Balmagowan and Ballingown (of the smiths); Ballymore and Ballmore (great town); Nohoval, corrupt. from _Nuachongbhail_ (new dwelling), localities in Ireland. In Scotland: Balvanie, anc. _Bal-Beni-mor_ (the dwelling of Beyne, the great first Bishop of Mortlach), in Aberdeenshire; Balmoral (the majestic dwelling, _morail_); Ballater (the dwelling on the hill-slope, _leitir_); Balmerino (on the sea-shore, _muir_); Balachulish, Gael. _Baile-na-caolish_ (the dwelling on the narrow strait); Baldernock, Gael. _Baile-dair-cnoc_ (the dwelling at the oak hill); Balnacraig (dwelling of the rock); Balfour (cold dwelling); Balgay (windy dwelling, _gaoth_, wind); Balfron (of mourning, _bhroin_), so called, according to tradition, because a number of children had been devoured by wolves at the place; Balgreen (the sunny place, _grianach_); Balgarvie (of the rough stream); Ballagan and Ballogie (the dwelling in the hollow); Balgownie and Balgonie (of the smiths); Balbardie (of the bard); Balmac Lellan (the dwelling of the Bal-MacLellan), in Kirkcudbright; Balmaghie (of the Maghies); Balquhidder (the town at the back of the country); Balblair (of the field or plain). [Sidenote: BALA (Turc.),] high; _e.g._ Bala-hissar (high castle); Bala-dagh (high mountain); Bala-Ghauts (the high Ghauts); Balasore (high dwelling); Balkan (high ridge), also called Mount Haemus (the snowy mount), _hima_ (Sansc.), snow; Balkh (high town), anc. Bactra. [Sidenote: BALKEN (Ger.),] a ridge; _e.g._ Griesen-balken (sandy ridge); Moes-balken (mossy ridge); Schieren-balken (clear ridge)--the word is applied to chains of mountains in general. [Sidenote: BALTA (Scand.), BALTEUS (Lat.),] a strait or belt; _e.g._ Balta (the island of the strait); Baltia (the country of belts or straits), the ancient name of Scandinavia. The Great and Little Belts, or straits. [Sidenote: BAN (Gadhelic),] white, fair; _e.g._ Rivers Bann, Bane, Bain, Bana, Banon, Bandon, Banney, etc.; Banchory (the fair valley). [Sidenote: BAN (Cym.-Cel.),] a hill or height; _e.g._ Cefn-y-fan (the hill-ridge); Tal-y-fan (the face of the hill), in Wales. _B_ by mutation becomes _f_. [Sidenote: BANT, BANZ (Ger.), POINT and PAINT, _Ahd_,]