[ bɔ:lk , bɔ:k ]
( chiefly US also balk )
■ verb
1》 ( ~ at ) hesitate to accept (an idea or undertaking).
2》 thwart or hinder (a plan or person).
3》 (of a horse) refuse to go on.
■ noun
1》 a roughly squared timber beam.
2》 the area on a billiard table between the ~ line and the bottom cushion.
3》 Baseball an unlawful action made by a pitcher that may deceive a base runner.
4》 a ridge left unploughed between furrows.
Origin
OE balc (in the sense 'unploughed ridge', later 'obstacle'), from ON bálkr 'partition'.