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walk

A1
Very common

Pronunciation

UK

  • /wˈɔːk/

US

  • /ˈwɑk/

Meanings

Verb

  1. to move on foot at a normal pace

  2. to allow a batter to reach first base by pitching four balls

Noun

  1. an act or period of walking, especially for exercise or pleasure

  2. a base on balls in baseball

Beyond the definition

We all use this word from an early age. Most often, it means moving forward on your feet, whether you are going to school, crossing the street, or taking a slow trip through the park. It can describe everyday movement, exercise, or a pleasant outing, as in a morning walk or a long walk home.

But the word does more than that. You can walk a dog, walk someone home, or walk away from an argument or a bad deal. It can also mean helping someone step by step, as in "She walked me through the process." As a noun, it can name the trip itself or the way a person moves. In easy, natural English, it is one of those words that fits many parts of daily life.

Examples

  1. 1

    Commute

    I usually walk to work if the weather is nice.

  2. 2

    Going home

    We walked home from the station after dinner.

    • Phrasewalk home

      go home on foot

  3. 3

    Accompanying someone

    I'll walk you to the bus stop.

    • Patternwalk someone + place

      go with them on foot

  4. 4

    Dog care

    She walks the dog in the park every morning.

    • Phrasewalk the dog

      take the dog outside and go with it

More examples
  1. 5

    Exploring

    We spent the afternoon walking around the old town.

    • Phrasewalk around

      move on foot in different parts of a place

  2. 6

    No appointment

    Customers can walk in without an appointment.

    • Phrasewalk in

      arrive without arranging a time first

  3. 7

    Leaving suddenly

    He walked out of the meeting when the argument started.

    • Phrasewalk out

      leave, often suddenly or because you are upset

  4. 8

    Distance

    It's only a ten-minute walk from here to the museum.

    • Patterna + time period + walk

      a distance you can walk in that time

  5. 9

    Leisure

    Let's go for a walk after lunch.

  6. 10

    Instructions

    The technician walked me through the setup process.

    • Patternwalk someone through + process

      explain it step by step

  7. 11

    Career choice

    She walked away from a well-paid job to start her own business.

    • Patternwalk away from + opportunity/responsibility

      leave it or give it up

  8. 12

    Conflict avoidance

    Ever since their argument, I've been walking on eggshells around him.

    • Phrasewalk on eggshells

      be very careful not to upset someone

See also

Similar

Shades of meaning

Contrast

Used with (collocations)

  • walk home
  • walk down the street
  • walk the dog

Word family

Explore

  • gait
  • pedestrian travel

Forms and spellings

4 forms open this card.

Main spelling

  • walknounverb

Forms

  • walking-ing formverbnoun
  • walkedpast tenseverbnoun
  • walkspluralnounverb