[walk] vb [partly fr. ME walken (past welk, pp. walken), fr. OE wealcan to roll, toss, journey about (past weolc, pp. wealcen) and partly fr. ME walkien (past walked, pp. walked), fr. OE wealcian to roll up, muffle up; akin to MD walken to knead, press, full] vi (bef. 12c) 1 a obs: roam, wander b of a spirit: to move about in visible form: appear c of a ship: to make headway
2. a: to move along on foot: advance by steps b: to come or go easily or readily c: to go on foot for exercise or pleasure d: to go at a walk 3 a: to pursue a course of action or way of life: conduct oneself: behave "~ warily" b: to be or act in association: continue in union "the British and American peoples will ... ~ together side by side ... in peace --Sir Winston Churchill" c: walk out "the workers didn't like the new contract so they ~ed"
4: to go to first base as a result of a base on balls
5. of an inanimate object a: to move in a manner that is suggestive of walking b: to stand with an appearance suggestive of strides "pylons ~ing across the valley"
6. of an astronaut: to move about in space outside a spacecraft ~ vt 1 a: to pass on foot or as if on foot through, along, over, or upon: traverse, perambulate "~ the streets" "~ a tightrope" b: to perform or accomplish by going on foot "~ guard"
2. a: to cause (an animal) to go at a walk: take for a walk "~ing a dog" b (1): to cause to move by walking "~ed her bicycle up the hill" (2): to haul (as an anchor) by walking round the capstan
3: to follow on foot for the purpose of measuring, surveying, or inspecting "~ a boundary"
4. a: to accompany on foot: walk with "~ed her home" b: to compel to walk (as by a command) c: to bring to a specified condition by walking "~ed us off our feet"
5: to move (an object) in a manner suggestive of walking
6: to perform (a dance) at a walking pace "~ a quadrille" 7: to give a base on balls to -- walk away from 1: to outrun or get the better of without difficulty
2: to survive (an accident) with little or no injury -- walk off with 1 a: to steal and take away b: to take over unexpectedly from someone else: steal 1d "walked off with the show"
2: to win or gain esp. by outdoing one's competitors without difficulty -- walk on : to take advantage of: abuse -- walk over : to treat contemptuously -- walk the plank 1: to walk under compulsion over the side of a ship into the sea
2: to resign an office or position under compulsion -- walk through 1: to go through (as a theatrical role or familiar activity) perfunctorily (as in an early stage of rehearsal)
2: to guide (as a novice) through an unfamiliar or complex procedure step-by-step
3: to deal with or carry out perfunctorily
[2]walk n (14c) 1 a: an act or instance of going on foot esp. for exercise or pleasure "go for a ~" b: space walk
2: an accustomed place of walking: haunt
3: a place designed for walking: a: a railed platform above the roof of a dwelling house b (1): a path specially arranged or paved for walking (2): sidewalk c: a public avenue for promenading: promenade d: ropewalk
4: a place or area of land in which animals feed and exercise with minimal restraint
5: distance to be walked "a quarter mile ~ from here"
6. Brit: a ceremonial procession 7: manner of living: conduct, behavior
8. a: the gait of a biped in which the feet are lifted alternately with one foot not clear of the ground before the other touches b: the gait of a quadruped in which there are always at least two feet on the ground; specif: a four-beat gait of a horse in which the feet strike the ground in the sequence near hind, near fore, off hind, off fore c: a low rate of speed "the shortage of raw materials slowed production to a ~" 9: a route regularly traversed by a person in the performance of a particular activity (as patrolling, begging, or vending) 10: characteristic manner of walking "his ~ is just like his father's" 11 a: social or economic status "all ~s of life" b (1): range or sphere of action: field, province (2): vocation 12: base on balls