walk

verb

• 1 [no object, usually with adverbial] move at a regular pace by lifting and setting down each foot in turn, never having both feet off the ground at once:I walked across the lawn she turned and walked a few paces
• go on foot for recreation and exercise:you can walk in 21,000 acres of moorland
• [with object] travel over (a route or area) on foot:the police department has encouraged officers to walk the beat
• used to suggest that someone has achieved a state or position easily or undeservedly:no one has the right to walk straight into a well-paid job for life
• move in a similar way to walking, but using one’s hands or a support such as stilts:he could walk on his hands carrying a plate on one foot
• (of a quadruped) proceed with the slowest gait, always having at least two feet on the ground at once.
• [with object] ride (a horse) at the slowest pace:he walked his horse towards her

• 2 [with object and adverbial of direction] guide, accompany, or escort (someone) on foot:he walked her home to her door figurativea meeting to walk parents through the complaint process
• [with object] take (a dog) out for exercise:she spotted a man walking his retriever
• [with object] train and look after (a hound puppy).

• 3 [no object] informal (of a thing) go missing or be stolen:customers have to leave a deposit to ensure the beer glasses don’t walk

• 4 [no object] North American informal abandon or suddenly withdraw from a job or commitment:he was in place as the male lead but walked at the eleventh hour
• be released from suspicion or from a charge:had any of the others come clean during the trial, he might have walked

• 5 [no object] (of a ghost) be visible; appear:the ghosts of Bannockburn walked abroad

• 6 [no object] Cricket (of a batsman) leave the field without waiting to be given out by the umpire.

• 7 [no object] Baseball reach first base automatically after not hitting at four balls pitched outside the strike zone.
• [with object] allow or enable (a batter) to walk.

• 8 [no object] archaic live or behave in a particular way:walk humbly with your God

noun

• 1an act of travelling or an outing on foot:he was too restless to sleep, so he went out for a walk
• [in singular] used to indicate the time that it will take to reach a place on foot or the distance to be travelled:the library is within five minutes' walk

• 2a route recommended or marked out for recreational walking: there are picnic places and waymarked walks
• a path:the street lamps illuminated the riverside walk

• 3 [in singular] an unhurried rate of movement on foot:they crossed the field at a leisurely walk
• the slowest gait of an animal: she reined her horse to a slow walk
• a person’s manner of walking:the spring was back in his walk

• 4British a part of a forest under one keeper.
• the place where a gamecock is kept.

• 5British a farm where a hound puppy is trained.

• 6 Baseball an instance of reaching first base automatically after not hitting at four balls pitched outside the strike zone.