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walk definition

walk (wôk)

intransitive verb

  1. to go along or move about on foot at a moderate pace; specif.,
    1. to move by placing one foot firmly before lifting the other, as two-legged creatures do, or by placing two feet firmly before lifting either of the others, as four-legged creatures do
    2. to go about on foot for exercise or pleasure; hike
  2. to return after death and appear on earth as a ghost
  3. to advance or move in a manner suggestive of walking: said of inanimate objects
    1. to follow a certain course of life; conduct oneself in a certain way let us walk in peace
    2. to join with others in a cooperative action, a cause, etc.
  4. Obsolete to be active or in motion, or to keep moving
  5. Slang to be acquitted or set free without punishment: usually connoting a belief in the accused person's guilt
  6. Slang
    1. to go on strike
    2. to leave abruptly, often in anger or in a show of protest
  7. Baseball to be advanced to first base as a result of being pitched four balls that do not enter the strike zone
  8. Basketball travel

Etymology: ME walken < OE wealcan, to roll, journey, akin to Ger walken, Frank *walken, to full (cloth), stamp < IE *wolg- < base *wel-, to turn, roll > L volvere, to roll, Gr eilyein, to roll up, wrap

transitive verb

  1. to go through, over, or along at a moderate pace on foot to walk the deck, the streets, etc.
  2. to traverse (a boundary, fence, etc.) on foot in order to survey, inspect, or repair
    1. to cause (a horse, dog, etc.) to move at a walk; lead, ride, or drive at a walk
    2. to train and exercise (a horse, dog, etc.) in this way
  3. to push (a bicycle, motorcycle, etc.) while walking alongside or behind
  4. to accompany (a person) on a walk or stroll to walk a friend home
    1. to force (a person) to move at a walk, as by grasping the shoulders and pushing
    2. to help (a disabled person) to walk
  5. to bring (a person or animal) to a specified state by walking to walk someone to exhaustion
  6. to move (a bulky or heavy object) by rocking along from one side or corner to another in a manner suggestive of walking
  7. Baseball
    1. to advance (a batter) to first base by pitching four balls that do not enter the strike zone
    2. to force (a run) in by doing this when the bases are loaded

noun

  1. the act of walking
  2. a period or course of walking for pleasure or exercise; stroll or hike
  3. a route traversed by walking
  4. a distance walked, often in terms of the time required an hour's walk from home
  5. a relatively slow pace
  6. a manner of walking to know someone by his walk
  7. a particular station in life, sphere of activity, occupation, etc. people from all walks of life
  8. Now Rare mode of living
  9. a path, avenue, etc. specially prepared or set apart for walking; specif., sidewalk
  10. ropewalk
    1. a plantation of trees in rows with a space between
    2. the space between any two such rows
  11. a place or enclosure for grazing or exercising animals, as a sheepwalk
  12. Brit. the route covered in one's round of duty or work, as in delivering mail
  13. a race between walking contestants: in this sport, the heel of each foot must touch the ground before the toe does
  14. Baseball the act or an instance of walking a batter or of being walked
walk Idioms

walk (all) over

Informal
  1. to defeat overwhelmingly
  2. to treat in a domineering and unfeeling way

walk away from

to outdistance easily; defeat handily

walk away with

  1. to steal
  2. to win easily

walk off

  1. to go away, esp. without warning
  2. to get rid of by walking to walk off pounds

walk off with

  1. to steal
  2. to win (a contest) or gain (a prize), esp. easily

walk out

  1. to leave abruptly or angrily
  2. ☆ to go on strike

walk out on

Informal to desert; abandon

walk through

  1. Theater to carry out a walk-through of
  2. to make or become familiar with (a process, job, etc.) as by a step-by-step demonstration

walk with God

to lead a godly, morally upright life

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:
walk Synonyms

walk

n.

  1. Manner of walking

    gait, tread, stride; see step 1.

  2. Course over which one walks

    pavement, sidewalk, pathway, footpath, trail, track, boardwalk, pier, promenade, avenue, street, road, alley, passage, dock, esplanade, platform, gangway; see also street.

  3. A short walking expedition

    stroll, ramble, turn, hike, promenade, airing, saunter, peregrination, tramp, trek, constitutional, perambulation, march, circuit, jaunt, tour.

  4. A base on balls; in baseball

    four balls, ticket to first*, handout*, Annie Oakley*, pass*. *

  5. A station in life

    occupation, sphere of activity, position, line of work.


walk

v.

  1. To move on foot

    step, pace, march, tread, amble, stroll, hike, saunter, wander, ambulate, ramble, go out for an airing, go out for an outing, take a walk, promenade, trudge, tramp, trek, tour, take a turn, roam, rove, perambulate, meander, traipse about, patrol, file off, knock about*, knock around*, hoof it*, jog it*, toddle along*, shuffle*, wend one's way*, bend one's steps*, locomote*, cruise*. *

  2. To cause to move on foot

    lead, drive, exercise, train, order a march, escort, accompany, take for a walk.

  3. To give a base on balls; in baseball

    let pass, give free passage*, give a ticket to first*, issue an Annie Oakley*.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

walk Usage Examples

Object

  • distance: Lagos boasts some superb beaches within walking distance of Lagos town center.

Converse of object

  • sponsor: We plan on having a clear walkway all the way on this section of the line by the next sponsored walk.

Adjective modifier

  • short: We are ideally situated, a short pleasant level walk to the beaches.

Followed by an intransitive particle

  • around: You can see them casually walking around on the forest floor, or looking for ants in the crowns of the highest rainforest trees.

Followed by a transitive particle

  • around: Teams set up camp and take it in turns to walk around a track for up to 24 hours.

Particle object: down_obj

  • aisle: The walk down the aisle is an unforgettable experience.

Particle object: up_obj

  • stair: You will burn off far more calories walking up the stairs rather than standing in a lift.

Preposition: in

  • footstep: Re-live history as you walk in the footsteps of the kings and queens who have been entertained at Hedingham.

Noun used with modifier

  • riverside: There is a nice restaurant with tables set out under vines, local bars and riverside walks.
walk usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

walk quotes

A Walk on the Wild Side.

-Algren, Nelson

And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the L appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God: walk before me, and be thou perfect.

-Bible (Old Testament)

And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

-Bible (Old Testament)

walk quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"walk." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 3 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/walk>

APA Style

walk. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 3rd, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/walk

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