Balky
/ˈbɔːlki/noun
Unwilling to move, act, or proceed smoothly; awkwardly resistant.
Did you know?The older noun balk once meant a ridge left unplowed or a beam, and the verb sense of “to hinder or stop short” grew from the idea of something that blocks progress.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
balca
“A ridge, bank, or beam; something raised or left as a dividing strip.”
Middle English
ME
balke
“A ridge of land, a beam, or a barrier; later, a hindrance.”
14th–15th Century
English
balk
“To miss, avoid, or hinder; to stop short of doing something.”
18th Century
English
balky
“Given to balking; stubbornly refusing to move or comply.”
Modern English
English
balky
“Resistant, awkward, or hard to manage.”