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   balk

   /bɔː(l)k/

   verb

   • 1. hesitate or be unwilling to accept an idea or undertaking: "he balked at such a drastic solution" 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): "he raised every objection he could to balk this plan" Similar impedeobstructthwarthinderpreventcheckstopcurbhaltbarblockforestallfrustratestallbafflefoildefeatbeatcounteracthead offOpposite assist
   • ▪ prevent a person or animal from having (something): "a tiger balked of its prey"
   • ▪ miss or refuse (a chance or invitation): "it's got to be done, so why balk it?"
   • ▪ (with reference to a horse) refuse or cause to refuse to go on: "he balked, both forefeet thrust stiffly in front of him"

   noun

   • 1. a roughly squared timber beam: "a balk of timber"
   • 2. the area on a billiard table between the balk line and the bottom cushion, within which in some circumstances a ball is protected from a direct stroke.
   • 3. an unlawful action made by a pitcher that may deceive a base runner.
   • 4. a ridge left unploughed between furrows.

   Word Origin late Old Englishbalc, from Old Norse bálkr ‘partition’. The original use was ‘unploughed ridge’, later ‘land left unploughed 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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