balk

intransitive verb

Hesitate or be unwilling to accept an idea or undertaking.

noun

An illegal motion made by a pitcher that may deceive a base runner.

SYNONYMS

be reluctant tobe unwilling todemur fromdraw back fromdraw the line ateschewflinch fromhate tohesitate overjib atnot like toquail atrecoil fromrefuse toresistscruple toshrink fromshy fromtake exception to