All balk synonyms
balk
B b verb balk
- thwart β to oppose successfully; prevent from accomplishing a purpose.
- hesitate β to be reluctant or wait to act because of fear, indecision, or disinclination: She hesitated to take the job.
- refuse β to decline to accept (something offered): to refuse an award.
- resist β to withstand, strive against, or oppose: to resist infection; to resist temptation.
- recoil β to draw back; start or shrink back, as in alarm, horror, or disgust.
- turn down β to cause to move around on an axis or about a center; rotate: to turn a wheel.
- flinch β to draw back or shrink, as from what is dangerous, difficult, or unpleasant.
- disappoint β to fail to fulfill the expectations or wishes of: His gross ingratitude disappointed us.
- stall β a pretext, as a ruse, trick, or the like, used to delay or deceive.
- dodge β to elude or evade by a sudden shift of position or by strategy: to dodge a blow; to dodge a question.
- cramp β Cramp is a sudden strong pain caused by a muscle suddenly contracting. You sometimes get cramp in a muscle after you have been making a physical effort over a long period of time.
- shy β bashful; retiring.
- desist β If you desist from doing something, you stop doing it.
- demur β If you demur, you say that you do not agree with something or will not do something that you have been asked to do.
- crimp β If you crimp something such as a piece of fabric or pastry, you make small folds in it.
- shirk β to evade (work, duty, responsibility, etc.).
- hinder β to cause delay, interruption, or difficulty in; hamper; impede: The storm hindered our progress.
- baffle β If something baffles you, you cannot understand it or explain it.
- bar β A bar is a place where you can buy and drink alcoholic drinks.
- obstruct β to block or close up with an obstacle; make difficult to pass: Debris obstructed the road.
- prevent β to keep from occurring; avert; hinder: He intervened to prevent bloodshed.
- beat β If you beat someone or something, you hit them very hard.
- forestall β to prevent, hinder, or thwart by action in advance: to forestall a riot by deploying police.
- ruin β ruins, the remains of a building, city, etc., that has been destroyed or that is in disrepair or a state of decay: We visited the ruins of ancient Greece.
- stop β to cease from, leave off, or discontinue: to stop running.
- frustrate β to make (plans, efforts, etc.) worthless or of no avail; defeat; nullify: The student's indifference frustrated the teacher's efforts to help him.
- dash β If you dash somewhere, you run or go there quickly and suddenly.
- foil β to cover or back with foil.
- defeat β If you defeat someone, you win a victory over them in a battle, game, or contest.
- counteract β To counteract something means to reduce its effect by doing something that produces an opposite effect.
- circumvent β If someone circumvents a rule or restriction, they avoid having to obey the rule or restriction, in a clever and perhaps dishonest way.
- check β Check is also a noun.
- disconcert β to disturb the self-possession of; perturb; ruffle: Her angry reply disconcerted me completely.
- throw a curve β a continuously bending line, without angles.
- draw back β a hindrance or disadvantage; an undesirable or objectionable feature.
- pull back β the act of pulling back, especially a retreat or a strategic withdrawal of troops; pullout.
- rein in β control, restrain
noun balk
- chagrin β Chagrin is a feeling of disappointment, upset, or annoyance, perhaps because of your own failure.
- woodlot β a tract, especially on a farm, set aside for trees.
- fretful β disposed or quick to fret; irritable or peevish.
- hardwood β the hard, compact wood or timber of various trees, as the oak, cherry, maple, or mahogany.
- bombshell β A bombshell is a sudden piece of bad or unexpected news.
- stringer β a person or thing that strings.
- two-by-four β two units thick and four units wide, especially in inches.
- lintel β a horizontal architectural member supporting the weight above an opening, as a window or a door.
- blow β When a wind or breeze blows, the air moves.
- cantilever β A cantilever is a long piece of metal or wood used in a structure such as a bridge. One end is fastened to something and the other end is used to support part of the structure.
- beam β If you say that someone is beaming, you mean that they have a big smile on their face because they are happy, pleased, or proud about something.
adjective balk
- underwhelm β to fail to interest or astonish: After all the ballyhoo, most critics were underwhelmed by the movie.