balk´ing|ly

balk «bk», verb, noun.

–v.i.

1. to stop short and stubbornly refuse to go on: »

My horse balked at the fence.

SYNONYM(S): jib, shy.

2. to hesitate or stop (at); avoid; not do: »

He balks at every disturbance and never finishes his work.

SYNONYM(S): vacillate.

3. Baseball. to fail to complete a pitch once started. It is illegal under the rules of baseball for a pitcher to balk.

–v.t.

1. to prevent from going on; hinder: »

The burglar alarm balked the robber's plans.

SYNONYM(S): frustrate, foil, baffle.

2. to fail to use; let slip; miss: »

If I balk'd this opportunity (John Dryden).

–n.

1. a hindrance, check, or defeat: »

This was a balk to them and put a damp to their new projects (Daniel Defoe).

2. a blunder or mistake.

3. a ridge between furrows; strip left unplowed.

4. a) a large beam or timber, especially one that supports the bottom ends of two opposite rafters; a tie beam. b) any large block or length of timber: »

A half-submerged balk of timber wrecked the canoe.

5. a principal horizontal supporting member of a bridge, especially a temporary bridge built for military use.

6. Baseball. a failure of a pitcher to complete a pitch he has started; feint.

7. Billiards. a) any of eight areas set off from the center area of the table by four lines parallel to the ends and sides. b) that part of a billiard table behind a transverse line at one end from which a player must start play, etc. Also, baulk.

╂[Old English balca beam, ridge]

–balk´er, noun.

–balk´ing|ly, adverb.