balk
Dig heels in
Balk (baulk in British English) is most frequently a verb that means hesitate or stop before an obstacle: The horse balked at a fence during the steeplechase.
The noun characterizes an instance of this, and also denotes some concrete things, such as the beam in a structure to which rafters are secured, or a strip of land that is left unplowed.
A balk in baseball is an illegal hesitation on the part of the pitcher that is intended to fool a base runner.
Pause in uncertainty
- declineDecrease or refuse
- rejectDismiss as unsuitable
- recoilBackward force from discharge
- demurVoice formal disagreement
resist · shy away · pull back · flinch · shrink · waver · falter · pause
To obstruct movement
- blockSolid mass, or impede
- thwartPrevent success of
- hamperObstruct or clothes basket
- hinderObstruct or delay
stymie · foil · frustrate · check · stall · derail · disrupt · prevent
Pouring vessel or hurler
- moundHeaped earth formation
- runnerOne who sprints
- baseSupporting bottom structure
- umpireSports match official
dead ball · advance · violation · infraction · windup · set position · baserunner · catcher
hesitate
Pause in uncertainty
demur · resist · shy away · pull back · flinch · shrink · waver · falter · pause · stop short
impede
To obstruct movement
hinder · stymie · foil · frustrate · check · stall · derail · disrupt · prevent · interfere
pitcher
Pouring vessel or hurler
umpire · dead ball · advance · violation · infraction · windup · set position · baserunner · catcher · inning
beam
Structural support member
hewn · squared · rough-cut · crossbeam · structural · framing · construction · woodwork · carpentry
- baseballbaseball, bat, pitchers, catchers, pitcher
- divingscuba, scuba diving, dive mask, dive helmet, diving bells
- obstructblock, halt, stop, impede, hinder
- sports infractionsfoul, violation, red card, ejection, disqualification
- baseball actionscatch, throw, hit, pitch, field
- baseball skillsbatting, pitching, catching, fielding, throwing
balkproceed
Move forward, continue
continue · advance · press on · push ahead · forge ahead