Past tense of 'balk'; refused to do something or hesitated stubbornly, or made an illegal motion in baseball.
From Old English/Middle English 'balken,' with regular past tense '-ed' suffix. The basic meaning has remained consistent for centuries.
A horse that 'balks' at a jump and a pitcher who 'balks' in baseball are doing the same fundamental thing—refusing to proceed forward when expected to!
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