verb
- refuses to proceed or act; hesitates or stops abruptly
- prevents or hinders from proceeding
- commits an illegal motion while pitching
Usage: baseball
noun
- plural of balk; raised ridges of earth left unplowed between furrows
Usage: agriculture
Examples
- The horse balks at jumping over the fence.
- She balks at the idea of working overtime without pay.
- The committee balks every attempt at reform.
- The pitcher balks and the runner advances to second base.
- The farmer left balks between the planted rows.
- He balks whenever asked to speak in public.
- The old car balks in cold weather.