From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishballadbal‧lad /ˈbæləd/ ●○○ noun [countable] 1 APMa slow love song2 ALa short story in the form of a poem or song
Examples from the Corpus
ballad• The results are exquisite-moving from ballads and other composed pieces through different grades of abstraction to total collective improvisation.• Where previous boy-girl ballads dealt with prom night nerves or playground jealousies.• Peggy ScottAdams's provocative ballad is hitting radio audiences like an emotional bomb.• Transfixing and intense, their dark, wine-soaked ballads and lock-tite harmonies are addictive.Origin ballad (1400-1500) Old French balade, from Old Provençal balada “dance, song sung while dancing”, from balar “to dance”, from Late Latin ballare; → BALL1 