1. Pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness
   "The horse balked at jumping the fence";
   - hesitate, waver, waffle [N. Amer, informal], baulk [Brit]
    
2. Refuse to comply
   "The horse balked at jumping over the fence";
   - resist, baulk [Brit], jib

1. Something that interferes with (or delays) action or progress
   "The missing permit proved a major balk to the construction project";
   - hindrance, hinderance [rare], deterrent, impediment, baulk [Brit], check, handicap
    
2. An illegal pitching motion while runners are on base
   "The pitcher's balk allowed the runner to advance to third base"
    
3. One of several parallel sloping beams that support a roof
   "The carpenter installed new balks to strengthen the roof";
   - rafter, baulk [Brit]
    
4. The area on a billiard table behind the balkline
   "a player with ball in hand must play from the balk";
   - baulk [Brit]

Derived forms: balks, balked, balking

Type of: area, beam, delivery, difficultness, difficulty, disobey, expanse, hesitate, pause, pitch, surface area

Part of: billiard table, pool table, snooker table

Encyclopedia: Balk, Harry