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balk
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- pronunciation:
- bawk
- parts of speech:
- intransitive verb, transitive verb, noun
- features:
- Word Combinations (verb, noun)
| part of speech: |
intransitive verb |
| inflections: |
balks, balking, balked |
| definition 1: |
to stop suddenly and refuse to proceed.
The horse balked at the unfamiliar gate.- synonyms:
- hesitate, pause, stop
- similar words:
- blench, evade, flinch, halt, refuse
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| definition 2: |
to refuse or be unwilling to do some act (usu. fol. by "at").
My son tends to balk at doing any chores around the house.The Senator had done some dishonest things in the past, but he balked at accepting this bribe.- synonyms:
- evade, resist, shirk, shrink from, steer clear of
- similar words:
- dodge, refuse, stall
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| definition 3: |
in baseball, to commit a balk.
The umpire determined that the pitcher had balked.- similar words:
- fake, feint
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| related words: |
decline, demur, hesitate, hinder, prevent, shrink, shy |
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| part of speech: |
transitive verb |
| definition: |
to block the progress of; hinder; impede.
The committee's work was balked by one member's repeated objections.- synonyms:
- check, frustrate, hinder, impede, stop, stymie
- antonyms:
- assist, forward
- similar words:
- bar, bilk, block, defeat, disappoint, eschew, foil, obstruct, prevent, stall, thwart
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| related words: |
dash |
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| part of speech: |
noun |
| definition 1: |
anything that blocks or stops forward progress; hindrance; defeat.
The president's veto was a balk to the proposed law.- synonyms:
- defeat, hindrance, obstacle
- similar words:
- bar, check, drawback, impediment, obstruction
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| definition 2: |
in baseball, an unpermitted, usu. deceptive, motion by a pitcher with one or more runners on base.
- similar words:
- fake, feint
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| definition 3: |
a heavy beam or timber used in building construction.
- synonyms:
- beam, timber
- similar words:
- rafter, two-by-four
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| derivations: |
balkingly (adv.), balker (n.) |
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