Balk
/bɔːk/
verbnounB2
Definition
As a verb, balk means to stop and refuse to do something or go somewhere, usually because you feel unsure or afraid. As a noun, balk is the action of stopping or hesitation before doing something. It often shows a strong refusal or unwillingness.
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See It in Action
Verb: To stop suddenly and refuse to continue or do something
- •The horse balked at jumping over the fence.
- •She balked when asked to speak in front of the large crowd.
- •They balked at the idea of working late on a weekend.
Noun: The act of stopping or hesitation before doing something
- •There was a balk in his voice when he talked about the difficult decision.
- •The player's balk cost the team the game in baseball.
- •His balk showed that he was not ready to accept the offer.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "balk" like "stop" (A1 word), but with a strong feeling of refusal or doubt, not just a simple pause.
- ✓Picture a horse that suddenly stops and refuses to move forward when it sees something scary.
- ✓It's the feeling you get when you want to do something but suddenly decide "No, I won’t" because you feel unsure or afraid.
- ✓Sounds like "balk" → imagine a block (like a wooden block) stopping everything in its way.
- ✓Think of a story where someone tries to cross a river but balks because the water looks too deep and dangerous.
- ✓NOT like "stop" (which can be temporary or neutral), "balk" shows a strong refusal or hesitation.
- ✓NOT like "refuse" (which is clear saying no), balk often happens with hesitation or doubt before deciding.
- ✓As a noun, a "balk" is the moment or action of stopping, not just the feeling.
Try Other Words
- •Hesitate: to pause before doing something because of doubt or fear (Use when focus is on uncertainty, not strong refusal)
- •Refuse: to say no clearly (Use when someone firmly says no without hesitation)
- •Stop: to end movement or action (Use for general stopping without emotional meaning)
- •Resist: to fight against doing something (Use when there is active opposition)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: (no clear prefix or suffix; single root word)
- •Etymology: From Middle English "balke," meaning to stop or refuse; possibly from Old Norse or Old English origins related to barriers or blocks
- •Historical development: Used since the 14th century to mean stopping or refusing, especially with animals or people showing hesitation
- •Modern usage: Used in sports (baseball balk), everyday speech for hesitation or refusal to continue an action
Reflect & Connect
•Can you think of a time when you balked at doing something? What made you stop or hesitate?
•How is balking different from simply stopping? When might it be important to recognize this difference?
Fill in the blanks
1.The horse balked ___ jumping over the fence because it was afraid of the height.
2.She balked when her boss asked her to work late, showing her ___ to accept the request.
3.Unlike simply stopping, to balk means to ___ continuing because of doubt or fear.
4.In baseball, a balk is a ___ that causes a penalty against the pitcher.
5.They didn't just stop; they balked ___ the idea of changing their plans at the last minute.
6.When someone balks, it often means they feel ___ about what they are asked to do.
7.The child balked ___ entering the dark room and needed encouragement to go inside.