balk

Meanings

Noun

• An uncultivated ridge formed in the open field system, caused by the action of ploughing.
• The wall of earth at the edge of an excavation.
• Beam, crossbeam; squared timber; a tie beam of a house, stretching from wall to wall, especially when laid so as to form a loft, "the balks".
• A hindrance or disappointment; a check.
• A sudden and obstinate stop.
• An omission.
• A deceptive motion.
• The area of the table lying behind the line from which the cue ball is initially shot, and from which a ball in hand must be played.
• The area of the table lying behind the baulk line.
• The rope by which fishing nets are fastened together.

Verb

• To pass over or by.
• To omit, miss or overlook by chance.
• To miss intentionally; to avoid.
• To stop, check, block.
• To stop short and refuse to go on.
• To refuse suddenly.
• To disappoint; to frustrate.
• To engage in contradiction; to be in opposition.
• To leave or make balks in.
• To leave heaped up; to heap up in piles.
• To make a deceptive motion to deceive another player.
• To indicate to fishermen, by shouts or signals from shore, the direction taken by the shoals of herring.

Origin

• From Middle English balke, from Old English balca, either from or influenced by Old Norse bálkr ("partition, ridge of land"), from Proto-Germanic *balkô. Cognate with Dutch balk ("balk"), German Balken ("balk"), Italian balcone ("balcony").
• Probably from Dutch balken ("to bray, bawl").