balk
baulk (Informal)
[verb]
Synonyms:
- recoil, evade, flinch, hesitate, jib, refuse, resist, shirk, shrink from
- foil, check, counteract, defeat, frustrate, hinder, obstruct, prevent, thwart

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Antonyms: forward
Contrasted words: back, support, uphold, aid, assist, help, capitulate, give in
Related Idioms: stand in the way of
Related Words: decline, refuse, turn down, flinch, hang back, quail, recoil, shrink

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

balk (also baulk British English) /bɔːk, bɔːlk $ bɒːk, bɒːlk/ verb
[Date: 1400-1500; Origin: balk 'raised area that gets in the way of forward movement' (15-21 centuries), from Old English balca 'pile of things on the ground']

1. [intransitive] to not want to do or try something, because it seems difficult, unpleasant, or frightening
balk at
Many people would balk at setting up a new business during a recession.
Westerners balk at the prospect of snake on the menu.

2. [intransitive] if a horse balks at a fence, it stops in front of it and refuses to jump over it

3. [intransitive] American English in baseball, to stop in the middle of the action of throwing the ball to the player who is trying to hit it

4. [transitive] formal to stop someone or something from getting or achieving what they want

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲