baulks

baulk

B b

Transcription

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
- [bawk]
- /bɔk/
- /bɔːk/

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- [bawk]
- /bɔk/

Definitions of baulks word

verb without object baulks to stop, as at an obstacle, and refuse to proceed or to do something specified (usually followed by at): He balked at making the speech. 1
verb without object baulks (of a horse, mule, etc.) to stop short and stubbornly refuse to go on. 1
verb without object baulks Baseball. to commit a balk. 1
verb with object baulks to place an obstacle in the way of; hinder; thwart: a sudden reversal that balked her hopes. 1
verb with object baulks Archaic. to let slip; fail to use: to balk an opportunity. 1
noun baulks a check or hindrance; defeat; disappointment. 1

See all 16 definitions of baulks

Information block about the term

Origin of baulks

First appearance:

before 900

One of the 4% oldest English words

before 900; Middle English; Old English balca covering, beam, ridge; cognate with Old Norse bǫlkr bar, partition, Dutch balk, Old Saxon balko, German Balken, Old Norse bjalki beam, Old English bolca plank; perhaps akin to Latin sufflāmen, Slovene blazína, Lithuanian balžíenas beam. See balcony

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Baulks

noun

adjective

verb

adverb

pronoun

preposition

conjunction

determiner

exclamation

Full grammatical hierarchy of Baulks

baulks popularity

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 75% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.

According to our data most of word are more popular. This word is almost not used. It has a much more popular synonym.

baulks usage trend in Literature

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