I. 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 ▲

II. baulk /bɔːk, bɔːlk $ bɒːk, bɒːlk/ verb [I, T]
a British spelling of balk

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲