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balk Definition

balk (bôk)

noun

  1. a ridge of unplowed land between furrows
  2. a roughly hewn piece of timber
  3. a beam used in construction
  4. something that obstructs or thwarts; check, hindrance, disappointment, etc.
  5. Obsolete a blunder; error
  6. 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
  7. 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

  1. Obsolete to make balks in (land)
  2. to obstruct or thwart; foil
  3. Archaic to miss or let slip by
  4. Baseball to force (a base runner to score from third base) by committing a balk

intransitive verb

  1. to stop and obstinately refuse to move or act
  2. to hesitate or recoil (at)
  3. to make a balk in baseball

balk Related Forms

balk′er noun

balk Synonyms

balk

v.

  1. To refuse

    demur, resist, recoil, be unwilling; see hesitate, refuse 1.

  2. To frustrate

    thwart, hinder, check; see frustrate, prevent. See syn. study at frustrate.

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.