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   Balk

   /bô(l)k/

   

   verb

   • 1. hesitate or be unwilling to accept an idea or undertaking: "any gardener will at first balk at enclosing the garden" Similar eschewresistrefuse tobe unwilling todraw the line atbe reluctant todraw back fromflinch fromshrink fromshy fromrecoil fromquail atdemur fromhesitate overscruple totake exception tonot like tohate tojib atscorndisdainOpposite accept
   • ▪ thwart or hinder (a plan or person): "the utmost of his influence will be invoked to balk the law" Similar impedeobstructthwarthinderpreventcheckstopcurbhaltbarblockforestallfrustratestallbafflefoildefeatbeatcounteracthead offOpposite assist
   • ▪ prevent a person or animal from having (something): "the lions, fearing to be balked of their prey"
   • ▪ (of a horse) refuse to go on.
   • ▪ miss or refuse (a chance or invitation). archaic
   • 2. (of a pitcher) make an illegal motion, penalized by an advance of the base runners: "the rookie balked and permitted Robinson to score"

   noun

   • 1. an illegal motion made by a pitcher that may deceive a base runner.
   • 2. a roughly squared timber beam.
   • 3. any area on a pool or billiard table in which play is restricted in some way.
   • 4. a ridge left unplowed between furrows.

   Word Origin late Old Englishbalc, from Old Norse bálkr ‘partition’. The original use was ‘unplowed ridge’, later ‘land left unplowed by mistake’, hence ‘blunder, omission’, giving rise to the verb use ‘miss (a chance)’. A late Middle English sense ‘obstacle’ gave rise to the verb senses ‘hesitate’ and ‘hinder’.

   Scrabble Points: 10

   • B

     3

   • A

     1

   • L

     1

   • K

     5

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2. People also ask

   What does Balk mean?

   • Definition of balk verb from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary [intransitive] balk (at something) to be unwilling to do something or become involved in something because it is difficult, dangerous, etc. Many parents may balk at the idea of paying $100 for a pair of shoes. He balked for a moment. “I can't afford it,” he finally admitted.

   balk verb - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes

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   What is a balk in baseball?

   • Commonly called balks are failure for the pitcher to come to a set position (or coming set multiple times) or failure to step in the direction of the base he is throwing toward. The spirit of a balk is that certain movements mean the pitcher has begun the pitch, so the runner cannot then be picked off.

   Glossary of baseball terms - Wikipedia

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   What happens when a balk is called?

   • When a balk is called, each runnercan freely advance one base. In professional baseball, a balk does not instantly result in a dead ball. If a pitch is thrown and all runners advance one base due to a hit, play continues and the balk is ignored.

   Glossary of baseball terms - Wikipedia

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   What is another word for baulk?

   • baulk (bôk), v.i., v.t., n. balk. In Lists: Words with a silent "l", Random words I ran into, Random words I ran into, more... Synonyms: demur, resist, recoil, be unwilling, hesitate, more... Visit the English Only Forum.

   balk - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

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3. www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › balkbalk verb - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage ...

   www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › balk

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   verb. /bɔk/. Verb Forms. [intransitive] balk (at something) to be unwilling to do something or become involved in something because it is difficult, dangerous, etc. Many parents may balk at the idea of paying $100 for a pair of shoes. He balked for a moment. “I can't afford it,” he finally admitted.

4. www.dictionary.com › browse › balkBALK Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

   www.dictionary.com › browse › balk

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   Balk definition: to stop, as at an obstacle, and refuse to proceed or to do something specified (usually followed by at). See examples of BALK used in a sentence.

5. www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › english › balkbalk verb - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage ...

   www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › english › balk

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   Definition of balk verb in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

6. www.collinsdictionary.com › us › dictionaryBALK definition in American English | Collins English Dictionary

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   May 19, 2024 · 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.

7. dictionary.cambridge.org › learner-english › balkBALK | meaning - Cambridge Learner's Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › learner-english › balk

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   to not want to do something that is unpleasant or difficult: Most people balk at paying these kind of prices for clothes. (Definition of balk from the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary © Cambridge University Press) Translations of balk. in Chinese (Traditional) 猶豫, （棒球投球員的）假投, 樑木… See more. in Chinese (Simplified) 犹豫, （棒球投球员的）假投, 梁木… See more.

8. www.wordreference.com › definition › balkbalk - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

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   to stop, as at an obstacle, and refuse to proceed or to do something specified (usually fol. by at):He balked at making the speech. (of a horse, mule, etc.) to stop short and stubbornly refuse to go on. Sport[Baseball.]to commit a balk. v.t. . to place an obstacle in the way of; hinder; thwart:a sudden reversal that balked her hopes.

9. www.oed.com › dictionary › balk_v1balk, v.¹ meanings, etymology and more | Oxford English ...

   www.oed.com › dictionary › balk_v1

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   What does the verb balk mean? There are 14 meanings listed in OED's entry for the verb balk, five of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence. balk has developed meanings and uses in subjects including.