balk

1 of 2

verb

ˈbȯk

sometimes ˈbȯlk

balked; balking; balks

intransitive verb

: to refuse abruptly

—used with at

Congress balked at putting up the money

Thomas Fleming

: to stop short and refuse to proceed

The horse balked at the jump and threw the rider.

sports : to commit a balk (see balk entry 2 sense 1)

transitive verb

: to check or stop by or as if by an obstacle : block

… had neither been balked nor been frightened …

Francis Hackett

archaic : to pass over or by

… such an age as ours balks no expense …

William Cowper

balker noun

balk

2 of 2

noun

baseball : an occurrence in which a pitcher stops suddenly or makes an illegal movement after starting to throw a pitch

The pitcher was charged with a balk.

sports : failure of a competitor to complete a motion (such as a jump, vault, or dive)

billiards

: the space behind the balkline on a billiard table

: any of the outside divisions made by the balklines

: hindrance, check

: beam, rafter

: a ridge of land left unplowed as a dividing line or through carelessness

Example Sentences

Verb The horse balked and would not jump the fence. The runner on third base tried to make the pitcher balk. Noun the constant interruptions proved to be a balk to the flow of conversation

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Purists and scholars alike will balk at my inclusion of this film on a horror movie list, but Daughters of the Dust operates squarely within the Black Horror tradition.

Lea Anderson, Men's Health, 29 Aug. 2022 Qatar would almost certainly balk at this proposal.

Jonathan Schanzer, WSJ, 15 Aug. 2022 Or did even the gamely indulgent Russian, though too tactful to say so, balk at the image’s molten energy?

Peter Schjeldahl, The New Yorker, 9 May 2022 Many would balk at the mere mention of such a conflict, but the reality is that such a scenario is increasingly plausible.

Roger Wicker, National Review, 11 Aug. 2022 Industry may also balk at creating and supporting a white elephant without any assurances of sustained funding from the government.

Rakesh Kumar, Fortune, 14 July 2022 Now, some people may balk at that second word, pride.

Caroline Casey, Forbes, 4 July 2022 But some large health care organizations may balk at handing over their data to Amazon’s cloud arm, AWS.

Mario Aguilar, STAT, 3 June 2022 In today’s precarious economic environment, investors may balk at a gargantuan transaction that forces a company to amass serious amounts of new debt.

Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 25 May 2022

Noun

Maybe, just maybe, that had something to do with ticket prices going for a balk-worthy $140 a pop in the theater.

Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2022 Following a two-run first inning where the Orioles took the lead on three singles and a balk, Mahle was lights out the rest of the way.

Charlie Goldsmith, The Enquirer, 31 July 2022 Williams then scored another run on a balk. Hudson Valley went back ahead in the bottom of the fourth with an unearned run, but Aberdeen overcame it with the seventh inning rally.

Randy Mcroberts, Baltimore Sun, 12 Aug. 2022 The second base umpire called a balk on Scissum, sending the winning runner home from third and setting off a Mobile Christian celebration.

Ben Thomas | Bthomas@al.com, al, 17 May 2022 The Angels got a break in looking to tie the score when Fletcher and Rengifo advanced when Perez was called for a balk.

Sarah Valenzuela, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2022 The Rays lost in extras to the Reds on Friday when Wisler was called for a balk in the 10th inning.

Katie Mcinerney, BostonGlobe.com, 11 July 2022 For the second year in a row, Oregon turned to Kolby Somers early and the closer was called for a critical balk.

James Crepea | The Oregonian/oregonlive, oregonlive, 5 June 2022 Then a balk from left-hander Daniel Norris brought home a third run in the eighth, propelling the pitching staff to a comfortable outing after winning seven of the previous nine games by two runs or fewer.

Andy Kostka, Baltimore Sun, 13 July 2022 See More

balk 1 of 2

noun

as in hurdle

something that makes movement or progress difficult the constant interruptions proved to be a balk to the flow of conversation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

hurdle
obstacle
embarrassment
obstruction
let
interference
stop
barrier
hindrance
impediment
cramp
burden
encumbrance
hitch
clog
inhibition
stumbling block
block
handicap
deterrent
constraint
load
delay
chain
shackles
crimp
rub
snag
catch
danger
drag
fetter
disadvantage
trammel
rein
difficulty
stone wall
holdback
curb
bar
brake
arrest
restraint
manacle
blockade
stoppage
drawback
hazard
holdup
hobble
blockage
peril
stall
brick wall
embargo
hardship
bit
check
adversity
cumber
reef

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

incentive
impetus
advantage
spur
stimulus
catalyst
goad
benefit
break
aid
assistance
help
edge
stimulant
boost
handmaiden
handmaid

balk

2 of 2

verb

as in to frustrate

to prevent from achieving a goal a young man with big dreams who refused to be balked by the many challenges he faced in making them a reality

Synonyms & Similar Words

frustrate
thwart
baffle
stop
discomfit
defeat
hamper
foil
halt
overcome
prevent
beat
checkmate
hinder
impede
block
set back
obviate
preclude
check
stall
hobble
arrest
obstruct
handicap
hold back
avert
clog
nullify
inhibit
tie up
bar
encumber
forestall
shackle
negate
conquer
offset
neutralize
fetter
counteract
trammel
short-circuit
interfere (with)
manacle

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

encourage
forward
promote
advance
assist
aid
further
cultivate
foster
facilitate
abet
nurture
ease
smooth

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of balk are baffle, foil, frustrate, and thwart. While all these words mean "to check or defeat another's plan or block achievement of a goal," balk suggests the interposing of obstacles or hindrances.

officials felt that legal restrictions had balked their efforts to control crime

The words baffle and balk are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, baffle implies frustration by confusing or puzzling.

baffled by the maze of rules and regulations

The synonyms foil and balk are sometimes interchangeable, but foil implies checking or defeating so as to discourage further effort.

foiled by her parents, he stopped trying to see her

The words frustrate and balk can be used in similar contexts, but frustrate implies making vain or ineffectual all efforts however vigorous or persistent.

frustrated attempts at government reform

While in some cases nearly identical to balk, thwart suggests frustration or checking by crossing or opposing.

the army thwarted his attempt at a coup

单词	balk
释义	balk 1 of 2 verb ˈbȯk sometimes ˈbȯlk balked; balking; balks intransitive verb 1 : to refuse abruptly —used with at Congress balked at putting up the money Thomas Fleming 2 : to stop short and refuse to proceed The horse balked at the jump and threw the rider. 3 sports : to commit a balk (see balk entry 2 sense 1) transitive verb 1 : to check or stop by or as if by an obstacle : block … had neither been balked nor been frightened … Francis Hackett 2 archaic : to pass over or by … such an age as ours balks no expense … William Cowper balker noun balk 2 of 2 noun 1 a baseball : an occurrence in which a pitcher stops suddenly or makes an illegal movement after starting to throw a pitch The pitcher was charged with a balk. b sports : failure of a competitor to complete a motion (such as a jump, vault, or dive) 2 billiards a : the space behind the balkline on a billiard table b : any of the outside divisions made by the balklines 3 : hindrance, check 4 : beam, rafter 5 : a ridge of land left unplowed as a dividing line or through carelessness Synonyms Verb baffle beat checkmate discomfit foil frustrate thwart Noun bar block chain clog cramp crimp deterrent drag embarrassment encumbrance fetter handicap hindrance holdback hurdle impediment inhibition interference let manacle obstacle obstruction shackles stop stumbling block trammel See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Verb The horse balked and would not jump the fence. The runner on third base tried to make the pitcher balk. Noun the constant interruptions proved to be a balk to the flow of conversation Recent Examples on the Web Verb Purists and scholars alike will balk at my inclusion of this film on a horror movie list, but Daughters of the Dust operates squarely within the Black Horror tradition. Lea Anderson, Men's Health, 29 Aug. 2022 Qatar would almost certainly balk at this proposal. Jonathan Schanzer, WSJ, 15 Aug. 2022 Or did even the gamely indulgent Russian, though too tactful to say so, balk at the image’s molten energy? Peter Schjeldahl, The New Yorker, 9 May 2022 Many would balk at the mere mention of such a conflict, but the reality is that such a scenario is increasingly plausible. Roger Wicker, National Review, 11 Aug. 2022 Industry may also balk at creating and supporting a white elephant without any assurances of sustained funding from the government. Rakesh Kumar, Fortune, 14 July 2022 Now, some people may balk at that second word, pride. Caroline Casey, Forbes, 4 July 2022 But some large health care organizations may balk at handing over their data to Amazon’s cloud arm, AWS. Mario Aguilar, STAT, 3 June 2022 In today’s precarious economic environment, investors may balk at a gargantuan transaction that forces a company to amass serious amounts of new debt. Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 25 May 2022 Noun Maybe, just maybe, that had something to do with ticket prices going for a balk-worthy $140 a pop in the theater. Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2022 Following a two-run first inning where the Orioles took the lead on three singles and a balk, Mahle was lights out the rest of the way. Charlie Goldsmith, The Enquirer, 31 July 2022 Williams then scored another run on a balk. Hudson Valley went back ahead in the bottom of the fourth with an unearned run, but Aberdeen overcame it with the seventh inning rally. Randy Mcroberts, Baltimore Sun, 12 Aug. 2022 The second base umpire called a balk on Scissum, sending the winning runner home from third and setting off a Mobile Christian celebration. Ben Thomas \| Bthomas@al.com, al, 17 May 2022 The Angels got a break in looking to tie the score when Fletcher and Rengifo advanced when Perez was called for a balk. Sarah Valenzuela, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2022 The Rays lost in extras to the Reds on Friday when Wisler was called for a balk in the 10th inning. Katie Mcinerney, BostonGlobe.com, 11 July 2022 For the second year in a row, Oregon turned to Kolby Somers early and the closer was called for a critical balk. James Crepea \| The Oregonian/oregonlive, oregonlive, 5 June 2022 Then a balk from left-hander Daniel Norris brought home a third run in the eighth, propelling the pitching staff to a comfortable outing after winning seven of the previous nine games by two runs or fewer. Andy Kostka, Baltimore Sun, 13 July 2022 See More Word History Etymology Noun and Verb Middle English balke, from Old English balca; akin to Old High German balko beam, Latin fulcire to prop, Greek phalanx log, phalanx First Known Use Verb 15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2 Noun before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 5 Kids Definition balk verb ˈbȯk balked; balking 1 : to stop short and refuse to go 2 : to refuse to do something often suddenly He balked at paying the bill. balk 1 of 2 noun as in hurdle something that makes movement or progress difficult the constant interruptions proved to be a balk to the flow of conversation Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance hurdle obstacle embarrassment obstruction let interference stop barrier hindrance impediment cramp burden encumbrance hitch clog inhibition stumbling block block handicap deterrent constraint load delay chain shackles crimp rub snag catch danger drag fetter disadvantage trammel rein difficulty stone wall holdback curb bar brake arrest restraint manacle blockade stoppage drawback hazard holdup hobble blockage peril stall brick wall embargo hardship bit check adversity cumber reef Antonyms & Near Antonyms incentive impetus advantage spur stimulus catalyst goad benefit break aid assistance help edge stimulant boost handmaiden handmaid See More balk 2 of 2 verb as in to frustrate to prevent from achieving a goal a young man with big dreams who refused to be balked by the many challenges he faced in making them a reality Synonyms & Similar Words frustrate thwart baffle stop discomfit defeat hamper foil halt overcome prevent beat checkmate hinder impede block set back obviate preclude check stall hobble arrest obstruct handicap hold back avert clog nullify inhibit tie up bar encumber forestall shackle negate conquer offset neutralize fetter counteract trammel short-circuit interfere (with) manacle Antonyms & Near Antonyms encourage forward promote advance assist aid further cultivate foster facilitate abet nurture ease smooth See More Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of balk are baffle, foil, frustrate, and thwart. While all these words mean "to check or defeat another's plan or block achievement of a goal," balk suggests the interposing of obstacles or hindrances. officials felt that legal restrictions had balked their efforts to control crime The words baffle and balk are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, baffle implies frustration by confusing or puzzling. baffled by the maze of rules and regulations The synonyms foil and balk are sometimes interchangeable, but foil implies checking or defeating so as to discourage further effort. foiled by her parents, he stopped trying to see her The words frustrate and balk can be used in similar contexts, but frustrate implies making vain or ineffectual all efforts however vigorous or persistent. frustrated attempts at government reform While in some cases nearly identical to balk, thwart suggests frustration or checking by crossing or opposing. the army thwarted his attempt at a coup Phrases Containing balk balk (at) balk (at)
随便看	destitute destituted destitutely destituteness destitutenesses destitutes destituting destitution destitutions destn destock destoner destool destoolment destressed destresses destressing destrier destriers destroy destroyable destroyed destroyer destroyer escort destroyer leader

balk

verb

noun

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Kids Definition

verb

noun

verb

Synonym Chooser

Phrases Containing balk