■ verb
1》 move at a regular pace by lifting and setting down each foot in turn.
↘travel over (a route or area) on foot.
↘(of a quadruped) proceed with the slowest gait, always having at least two feet on the ground at once.
↘ informal (of a thing) go missing or be stolen.
↘ Cricket (of a batsman) leave the field without waiting to be given out by the umpire.
2》 guide, accompany, or escort (someone) on foot.
↘take (a dog) out for exercise.
↘train and look after (a hound puppy).
3》 N. Amer. informal abandon a job or commitment.
↘be released from suspicion or from a charge.
4》 Baseball reach first base automatically after not hitting at four balls pitched outside the strike zone.
5》 archaic live or behave in a specified way.
■ noun
1》 an act of ~ing or an outing on foot.
2》 an unhurried rate of movement on foot.
↘the slowest gait of an animal.
3》 a route for recreational ~ing.
↘a path.
4》 Brit. a part of a forest under one keeper.
5》 Brit. a farm where a hound puppy is trained.
Phrases
~ it informal achieve a victory easily.
~ of life a person's occupation or position within society.
~ on eggshells be extremely cautious about one's words or actions.
~ one's (or the ) talk chiefly N. Amer. suit one's actions to one's words.
win in a ~ N. Amer. win without effort or competition.
Phrasal verbs
~ ( all ) over informal treat in an inconsiderate or exploitative manner.
↘defeat easily.
~ away casually or irresponsibly abandon an involvement or responsibility.
~ off with (or away with ) informal
1》 steal.
2》 win.
~ out
1》 depart suddenly or angrily.
↘go on strike.
2》 Brit. informal, dated go for ~s in courtship.
Derivatives
~able adjective
Origin
OE wealcan 'roll, toss', also 'wander', of Gmc origin.