Balked

Pronunciation: /bɔːkt/

Definitions of balked

verb to hesitate or be unwilling to accept an idea or undertaking

Example Sentences

A1 The horse balked at jumping over the fence.

A2 She balked at the idea of going on a rollercoaster.

B1 The company balked at the high cost of the project.

B2 The politician balked at answering the reporter's question directly.

C1 The athlete balked at signing a contract with the team due to disagreements over salary.

C2 The actress balked at taking on the role because she felt it didn't challenge her enough.

Examples of balked in a Sentence

formal The company balked at the idea of increasing salaries for all employees.

informal He balked when he saw the price tag on the new phone.

slang She totally balked when she found out she had to work late on Friday night.

figurative The horse balked at the jump, refusing to go any further.

Grammatical Forms of balked

• past tense: balked
• plural: balks
• comparative: more balked
• superlative: most balked
• present tense: balk
• future tense: will balk
• perfect tense: have balked
• continuous tense: is balking
• singular: balk
• positive degree: balk
• infinitive: to balk
• gerund: balking
• participle: balked

Origin and Evolution of balked

First Known Use: 0014 year

Language of Origin: Old Norse

Story behind the word: The word 'balked' originated from the Old Norse word 'balka' meaning 'to leave an unplowed ridge in a field'.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the meaning of 'balked' has evolved to include the idea of hesitating or refusing to proceed with an action, often due to obstacles or objections.