Word of the Day - 11/08/25
bilk
/bɪlk/(v.): escape, either physically or mentally
He tried to bilk his way out of the unpleasant meeting by claiming a sudden illness.
(v.): hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of
The rival company attempted to bilk their competitor's efforts to launch the new product through fraudulent means.
(v.): cheat somebody out of what is due, especially money
The scam artist aimed to bilk unsuspecting investors out of their retirement savings.
Word Origin
The word 'balk', from which 'bilk' is thought to derive, has an Old English origin ('balca', meaning 'beam, ridge'). While 'bilk' is a phonetic variant rather than a direct etymological cousin through a shared ancient root, 'balk' represents its most closely related word in terms of origin within the English language, sharing the core concept of evading or frustrating.