Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
🙅 To refuse ⚾ Illegal baseball move 🎱 Billiard area 🚧 An obstacle 🪵 A roof beam
balk

balk

9.9
A large wooden beam that helps support a roof
  • noun
  • /bɔk/
  • Archaic
translation icon : viga
  • The ancient barn still had its original balks supporting the heavy thatched roof.

Examples

  • Carpenters carefully adjusted each balk to ensure the rafters would align correctly.

  • A beam broke during the storm, but the remaining balks kept the roof standing.

  • The carpenter installed a new balk in the attic.

  • They used several balks to support the roof structure.

  • The ancient barn still had its original balks supporting the heavy thatched roof.

  • Carpenters carefully adjusted each balk to ensure the rafters would align correctly.

  • A beam broke during the storm, but the remaining balks kept the roof standing.

Synonyms

beam
vsbalk
104 2.7

A long strong piece of wood, metal, or concrete that supports part of a building

is sloping and used for roof support rather than general structural support
rafter
vsbalk
29 4.6

A sloping beam that supports a roof

is the same but mainly used in timber framed buildings
raker
vsbalk
  • Specialized
8.5

A sloping support beam that helps hold up a roof

is more specific referring to parallel sloping beams in timber framed roofs

Surface Forms

balk singular
balks plural

Etymology

Balk The word comes from old English balca meaning 'beam'. Just like the everyday word 'beam', a balk is a large wooden beam that helps hold up a roof.