tip the balance

Related to tip the balance: Off the Top of My Head, off-chance, defer to, in its entirety, pick up on, come to fruition

tip the balance

To upset the balance of a situation, such that one side or element is favored or gains advantage. The two candidates are so close in the polls that both are vying for something that will tip the balance in their favor. The immense interconnectivity of social media has tipped the balance of power somewhat back into the hands of the ordinary population.
See also: balance, tip
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

tip the balance

Also, tip the scales; turn the scale. Offset the balance and thereby favor one side or precipitate an action. For example, He felt that affirmative action had tipped the balance slightly in favor of minority groups , or New high-tech weapons definitely tipped the scales in the Gulf War, or Just one more mistake will turn the scale against them. Shakespeare used turn the scale literally in Measure for Measure (4:2): "You weigh equally; a feather will turn the scale." The idioms with tip are much younger, dating from the first half of the 1900s.
See also: balance, tip
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

tip the balance

or

tip the scales

COMMON If something tips the balance or tips the scales in a situation where two results seem equally likely, it makes one result happen or become much more likely. As the election approaches, the two main parties appear so evenly matched that just one issue could tip the balance. Years later, she still believed it had been Howe's warnings, not any love for her, that had finally tipped the scales against his leaving her for Lucy.
See also: balance, tip
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

tip the ˈbalance/ˈscales

(also swing the ˈbalance) be the reason that finally causes somebody to do something or something to happen in one way rather than another: They were both very good candidates for the job but she had more experience and that tipped the balance.
See also: balance, Scales, tip
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • gut factor
  • in (one's) element
  • in element
  • in one's element
  • in your element
  • be in (one's) element
  • element
  • one rotten apple spoils the (whole) barrel
  • one rotten apple spoils the (whole) bushel
  • rotten apple spoils the barrel
References in periodicals archive
For some wives and mothers, it may just tip the balance between carrying on with a tiresome job, or opting to stay at home and become a full-time mum.
But Old Eds struck twice in the space of ten minutes, fly-half Tim Whitehouse crossing between the posts for Tim Bates to add the conversion to his earlier penalty before replacement wing Martin Perry added a second try, and although Smitham put over another penalty in the closing minutes it was too late to tip the balance their way.
Manatee-conscious management efforts like those in Crystal River and Blue Spring have paid off, he says, "but these numbers show that it's very easy to tip the balance in a negative way."
The vote could tip the balance of power in the knife-edge council.
One in 10 Labour voters staying at home could tip the balance.
Dave Beattie's solid strike was enough to tip the balance against a resilient Black Horse who played their part in an entertaining tussle.
LIBERAL DEMOCRATS are hoping this is the year to tip the balance of power on Warwick District Council.
Queens coach Andy McGlennan, who takes his side to Dingwall, reckons the supporters could tip the balance in their favour.
"That difference," Morris says, "might tip the balance between a plant population that's viable over the long term or [one that's] declining."
A face-lift, a decent hair-do and designer clothes may be all it takes to tip the balance when you're desperate for votes!
His side came very close at home to Castleford Tigers last weekend (they eventually lost 34-22 after leading 16-12 at half-time), and he is hoping that playing on such a big stage against the Giants on Sunday will tip the balance his side's way.
Keith Cooper,project manager at the Environment Agency, said:``It's time to tip the balance on fly-tipping.
Fly-half Ben Shepherd kept Walsall in touch with a penalty, and the 21-year-old was the architect of their second-half revival with a long break from his own half to set up a try for centre Terry Finn before kicking two penalties in the final quarter to tip the balance.
But I understand that Gers defender Bjorklund has been raving about Rangers to the Swedish skipper - and that could tip the balance in favour of the Ibrox club.
Herre studies how small changes in the damage done by tiny nematode worms to the wasps they prey on-another example of virulence-can tip the balance among worms, wasps, the figs that the wasps pollinate, and the fruit bats that eat the figs.