Balky: meaning, definitions and examples

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balky

 

[ หˆbษ”หlki ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

describing behavior

The term 'balky' describes a reluctance to proceed or behave as expected; it is often used to characterize someone or something that is obstinate or uncooperative. This can refer to machinery that refuses to operate properly or a person who is resistant to taking action.

Synonyms

obstinate, stubborn, uncooperative

Examples of usage

  • The balky horse refused to move forward.
  • Her balky attitude made the team meeting unproductive.
  • The balky engine wouldn't start even after multiple attempts.

Translations

Translations of the word "balky" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น recalcitrante

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคฌเคพเค—เฅ€

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช widerspenstig

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ menentang

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ัƒะฟะตั€ั‚ะธะน

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ oporny

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ๅๆŠ—็š„ใช

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท rรฉcalcitrant

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ recalcitrante

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท inatรงฤฑ

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ๋ฐ˜ํ•ญ์ ์ธ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ู…ุชู…ุฑุฏ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ vzpourฤivรฝ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ vzpierajรบci

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ๅๆŠ—็š„

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ uporen

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ fรบlkandi

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ า›ะฐั€ัั‹ะปะฐััƒัˆั‹

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒฌแƒ˜แƒœแƒแƒแƒฆแƒ›แƒ“แƒ”แƒ’แƒแƒ‘แƒ˜แƒก

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ รผsyan edษ™n

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ recalcitrante

Etymology

The adjective 'balky' originates from the verb 'balk', which has roots going back to the Old English 'balca', meaning to hinder or obstruct, and is related to the Middle English word 'balken'. Its usage has evolved over time, especially in the context of livestock, where balky animals would refuse to move or cooperate, typically during work or when being harnessed. The term has since been broadened to refer to any stubborn behavior, whether in animals, machinery, or humans. The earliest documentation of 'balky' is found in the late 19th century, where it began to be used descriptively for difficult machines, exemplifying the fluid nature of language from specific contexts to more general applications.