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 snatching 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
noun the name in the Koran of the queen of Sheba2 Historical Examples If now you have spoken truth, take this letter to Queen balkis; then come away. The Curious Book of Birds Abbie Farwell Brown While I study astronomy I think neither of balkis nor anything else on earth. Balthasar Anatole France balkis trembled […]
- 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
a spherical or approximately spherical body or shape; sphere: He rolled the piece of paper into a ball. a round or roundish body, of various sizes and materials, either hollow or solid, for use in games, as baseball, football, tennis, or golf. a game played with a ball, especially baseball: The boys are out playing […]
- 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 Casserly Three parties, of three men in each party, were selected, and armed with the old muzzle-loading muskets […]