Balky
given to balking; stubborn; obstinate:
a balky mule.
contemporary examples
then, with wind blowing him out horizontal under the wing, he hooks a boot on that balky wheel, kicks the mother home.
the ballad of johnny france richard ben cramer january 11, 2014
historical examples
o foolish minister, trying in that way to manage a balky parishioner!
around the tea-table t. de witt talmage
you buy a lot of half-broken, bucking, balky teams because you can get ’em cheap.
a california girl edward eldridge
but you know it’s the truth that i’m balky at giving up everything in sight.
august first mary raymond shipman andrews and roy irving murray
it leaked, and it steered like a balky mule, but what of that?
a ticket to adventure roy j. snell
the horse proved to be an obstreperous, balky thing, and as contrary as a mule.
twenty years of hus’ling j. p. johnston
stover came to a balky stop, hastily sn-tching away his derby.
stover at yale owen johnson
i remember a balky horse that used sometimes to be in the livery barn in the city.
white dandy; or, master and i velma caldwell melville
a balky horse ought not to be trusted to a child of your age.’
the wandering jew, complete eugene sue
she simply rolled down to the first incline and stopped there like a balky mule.
cabin fever b. m. bower
adjective balkier, balkiest, baulkier, baulkiest
inclined to stop abruptly and unexpectedly: a balky horse
adj.
1847, from balk (n.) + -y (2). related: balkily; balkiness.
Read Also:
- Balking
to stop, as at an obstacle, and refuse to proceed or to do something specified (usually followed by at): he balked at making the speech. (of a horse, mule, etc.) to stop short and stubbornly refuse to go on. baseball. to commit a balk. to place an obstacle in the way of; hinder; thwart: a […]
- Balkis
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- Balks
to stop, as at an obstacle, and refuse to proceed or to do something specified (usually followed by at): he balked at making the speech. (of a horse, mule, etc.) to stop short and stubbornly refuse to go on. baseball. to commit a balk. to place an obstacle in the way of; hinder; thwart: a […]
- Ball ammunition
noun live small-arms ammunition historical examples in that case he had still nine rounds of ball ammunition, and, if he wished to run amuck, held as many lives in his hand. life in an indian outpost gordon c-sserly three parties, of three men in each party, were selected, and armed with the old muzzle-loading muskets […]
- Ball-and-claw foot
a foot having the form of a bird’s claw grasping a ball. historical examples he used the ball-and-claw foot with the cabriole leg: this was succeeded by the straight leg. the old furniture book n. hudson moore