World Languages Lexicon
10 Language-to-English Dictionarieswiderspenstig
Pronunciation / Transliteration: /ˈviːdɐˌʃpɛnstɪç/
"Der widerspenstige Motor sprang erst nach vielen Versuchen an."
Comprehensive Definitions & Senses
2 senses- 1
Refusing to move, work, or proceed as expected; stubbornly resistant to guidance or control.
"The old tractor proved to be balky, refusing to start on the freezing winter morning." - 2
Characterized by abrupt hesitations or sudden stops.
"Drivers struggled to navigate through the city using the balky automated traffic system."
Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum
Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology
Derived from the verb 'balk' (meaning to stop and refuse to proceed), originating from Old English 'balca' (ridge, heap) combined with the suffix '-y'. Historically used to describe a stubborn draft horse refusing to move, the term eventually evolved in the 19th century to describe uncooperative people or malfunctioning mechanical equipment.
Which of the following is the closest synonym for "Balky"?
10 Global Lexicons: How "Balky" is said worldwide
Click any language below to open its dedicated Language to English dictionary page with native script & transliteration
récalcitrant
Transliteration: /ʁe.kal.si.tʁɑ̃/
"La vieille voiture s'est montrée récalcitrante ce matin."
widerspenstig
Transliteration: /ˈviːdɐˌʃpɛnstɪç/
"Der widerspenstige Motor sprang erst nach vielen Versuchen an."
refrattario
Transliteration: /ref.ratˈtaː.rjo/
"Il mulo si è dimostrato refrattario a proseguire lungo il sentiero."
reacio
Transliteration: /reˈa.sjo/
"El sistema informático estuvo reacio a funcionar correctamente."
rebento
Transliteration: /ʁeˈbẽ.tu/
Script: recalcitrante
"O cavalo recalcitrante recusou-se a saltar o obstáculo."
अड़ियल
Transliteration: adiyal
"वह पुराना ट्रैक्टर बहुत अड़ियल साबित हुआ।"
倔强的
Transliteration: juéjiàng de
"这台老旧的机器今天显得异常倔强不听使唤。"
말을 잘 안 듣는
Transliteration: mareul jal an deunneun
"낡은 트랙터가 고집을 부리며 시동이 걸리지 않았다."
頑固な
Transliteration: ganko na
"その古い機械は機嫌が悪く、なかなか動かなかった。"
Related Vocabulary Words to Explore
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A person who skates, especially someone who performs maneuvers on a skateboard, roller skates, or ice skates.
Terrestrial terrain characterized by a severe lack of available water, preventing the growth of most vegetation without irrigation.
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