balk Definition
balk (bôk)
noun
- a ridge of unplowed land between furrows
- a roughly hewn piece of timber
- a beam used in construction
- something that obstructs or thwarts; check, hindrance, disappointment, etc.
- Obsolete a blunder; error
- Baseball an illegal motion by the pitcher, such as an uncompleted motion to throw to a base, while one foot is on the rubber: it entitles each base runner to advance one base
- Billiards any of the outer spaces between the cushions and the balkline
Etymology: ME balke < OE balca, a bank, ridge < IE *bhelg- (extended stem of *bhel-, a beam) > Ger balken, beam, Gr phalanx, L fulcrum
transitive verb
- Obsolete to make balks in (land)
- to obstruct or thwart; foil
- Archaic to miss or let slip by
- Baseball to force (a base runner to score from third base) by committing a balk
intransitive verb
- to stop and obstinately refuse to move or act
- to hesitate or recoil (at)
- to make a balk in baseball
balk Related Forms
balk′er noun
balk Synonyms
balk
v.
balk Usage Examples
Preposition: of
timber: The huge balks of timber, used for making the lock gates on the canal, are stacked on the bank.
Object
- enemy: Thus the highest form of generalship is to balk the enemy 's plans.
- time: Quite a few hedges and fences were tackled, and Spuds was pleased with my efforts although we did get balked a few times.
Preposition: at
- prospect: Even the Morning Star ' s Communist Party of Britain finally balked at the prospect.
- idea: I have no idea why Sony haven't balked at the idea of using BluRay yet.
- cost: Farmers often balk at the extra labor cost of doing these extra tasks.
- suggestion: I still am - #1 loathes change and balks at any suggestion of it.
- price: The sales showed buyers are starting to balk at the prices demanded by sellers.
- proposal: For sure many of your current or existing research suppliers will balk at this proposal, but some will relish the challenge.
Modifying Another Word
- n't: I have no idea why Sony have n't balked at the idea of using BluRay yet.
- not: I do not balk anymore and I do not strike people down without reason.
- often: Farmers often balk at the extra labor cost of doing these extra tasks.
- initially: Sources say the administration initially balked at Turkey's request for a bridge loan drawing from the Exchange Stabilization Fund.
- still: When they saw the prototype they began to take it more seriously, but still balked at spending money on development.
- likely: Aside from awful weather ( which Megan would likely balk at anyway ), I decided that I'd probably get bored.
Noun used with modifier
timber: The whole of the viaduct was decked with 3 inch timber planking with large timber balks running longitudinally under the rails.
Browse dictionary entries near balk
- ‹ Balinese
- ‹ Balikesir
- ‹ Bali
- ‹ Balfour Declaration
- ‹ Balfour, ArthurJames Balfour, 1st Earl
- ‹ Balfour
- ‹ baleful
- ‹ balefire
- ‹ baleen whale
- ‹ baleen
- Balkan ›
- Balkan Mountains ›
- Balkan Peninsula ›
- Balkanize ›
- Balkans ›
- Balkh ›
- Balkhash ›
- balkline ›
- balky ›
- ball ›

