balk

Definitions of balk
  1. noun
    long thick piece of wood or metal or concrete, etc., used in construction
    synonyms: bint, weversboom
    see moresee less
    types:
    show 12 types...
    hide 12 types...
    draagbalk, draagkussen
    a beam made usually of steel; a main support in a structure
    bovendrempel
    horizontal beam used as a finishing piece over a door or window
    legger, schoor, steunbalk, stutbalk, vloerbalk
    beam used to support floors or roofs
    kiel, scheepskiel
    one of the main longitudinal beams (or plates) of the hull of a vessel; can extend vertically into the water to provide lateral stability
    dakspant, dakspar, spantrib, spar
    one of several parallel sloping beams that support a roof
    daklijn, daklijst, nok, nokbalk, nokbint, vorstbalk
    a beam laid along the edge where two sloping sides of a roof meet at the top; provides an attachment for the upper ends of rafters
    das, moerbalk, moerbint, strop, stropdas, veterschoen
    a horizontal beam used to prevent two other structural members from spreading apart or separating
    houtwaren, timmerhout, werkhout, zaaghout
    a beam made of wood
    dwarsbalk, dwarshout, dwarsstuk, kalf, kruisbalk
    a horizontal beam that extends across something
    coulisse, decorstuk, toneelscherm
    a timber member grooved to take a sliding panel
    langsligger, trapboom
    a long horizontal timber to connect uprights
    trimmer
    joist that receives the end of a header in floor or roof framing in order to leave an opening for a staircase or chimney etc.
  2. noun
    (music) the system of five horizontal lines on which the musical notes are written
    synonyms: diagram, notenbalk
    see moresee less
    type of:
    muziekschrift, notenschrift
    (music) notation used by musicians
  3. noun
    a rod carried as a symbol
    synonyms: diagram, notenbalk
    see moresee less
    types:
    herdersstaf, staf
    a staff surmounted by a crook or cross carried by bishops as a symbol of pastoral office
    koningsstaf, rijksstaf, scepter
    a ceremonial or emblematic staff
    marot, narrenstok, zotskolf
    a mock scepter carried by a court jester
    type of:
    symbool, teken, zinnebeeld
    an arbitrary sign (written or printed) that has acquired a conventional significance
  4. noun
    V-shaped sleeve badge indicating military rank and service
    synonyms: chevron, mouwstreep, streep, streepje, streeppatroon
    see moresee less
    type of:
    autonummer, kenteken
    an emblem (a small piece of plastic or cloth or metal) that signifies your status (rank or membership or affiliation etc.)
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago

Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘balk'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family

Vocabulary lists containing balk

view more about the vocabulary list
Baseball: A Lexicon

From spring training and opening day right up through the World Series, baseball (a.k.a. our national pastime) is a sport with rabid fans. It's also known for having plenty of downtime, so why not practice the language of the game during the many hours it'll take to wrap up all nine innings?

100 SAT Words Beginning with "B"

Find lists of SAT words organized by every letter of the alphabet here: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K & L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, and W, X, Y & Z.

view more about the vocabulary list
The Things They Carried
Tim O'Brien

A series of linked stories explores the lifelong effects of trauma on a platoon of soldiers during and after the Vietnam War.

MORE VOCABULARY LISTS