From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishtip the balance/scalestip the balance/scalesADVANTAGEto give a slight advantage to someone or something Three factors helped to tip the balance in favour of the Labour leadership. → tip
Examples from the Corpus
tip the balance/scales• They viewed the Soviet moves as an effort to tip the scales against the West.• I went to see Hoppy for a checkup and I tip the scales at exactly eighty-six pounds.• Tall and stately, fairly bursting from her corset, she sometimes tipped the scales at over 200 pounds.• Mr Bates thinks the disappearance of November's protest vote could tip the scales his way.• Second, the Constitution tips the scales in favor of the individual over the state in highly personal matters.• Your support tipped the balance in our favor.• Perhaps remorse at having joined it had tipped the balance of Fred's mind.• Thus can a minuscule particle tip the scales one way or another. 