walk
/wɔːk/ (bre, ipa) · /wɔːk/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈwȯk/ (ame, mw) · /wɑːk/ (ame, ipa)
walk — verb
- walkpresent simple I / you / we / they
- walkshe / she / it
- walkedpast simple
- walking-ing form
1. to move yourself forward by stepping with your feet, lifting one at a time so th
to move yourself forward by stepping with your feet, lifting one at a time so that at least one foot stays on the ground.
Esme and her father walked to the park after lunch.
walk + to + destination
The old man walked slowly with a wooden stick for support.
walk + slowly (manner adverb)
Lucas walked all the way home from the train station.
Emre and his sister walked along the river every weekend.
Anong walked to work every morning because she liked the fresh air.
- run
move faster by having both feet off the ground at once
文法句型
walk + adverb (slowly, quickly)
walk + prepositional phrase (to, along, through)
walk + distance (a mile, five blocks)
用法筆記
This is the most basic meaning of walk. It can be used without an object (intransitive: 'I walked home') or with a route or location as object (transitive: 'She walked the streets').
常見錯誤
2. to travel on foot next to another person in order to keep them safe or to help t
to travel on foot next to another person in order to keep them safe or to help them find a place.
Sayaka walked her grandmother to the bus stop every morning.
walk + person + to + destination
Hassan offered to walk his neighbour to the shop after dark.
The tour guide walked the group through the narrow streets of the old town.
Élise walked her little brother to the school gate each day.
- escort
more formal; can be on foot or by vehicle
- accompany
more formal; not limited to walking
- see someone home
idiomatic, specifically means making sure they arrive home safely
文法句型
walk + someone + to + place
walk + someone + home
用法筆記
The object is always a person (or occasionally a group) being escorted. A destination is almost always stated, either as 'to + place' or as a directional adverb like 'home.'
常見錯誤
3. to take a pet outside for exercise, usually by moving on foot with it on a lead.
to take a pet outside for exercise, usually by moving on foot with it on a lead.
Ignacio walks his dog in the park twice a day.
walk + possessive + dog
The puppy pulled hard on the lead when Lauren tried to walk him.
Emily walks her neighbour's dog every afternoon for extra pocket money.
Tunde walked his energetic dog through the park every evening before dinner.
- take the dog out
more informal; implies a short outing
文法句型
walk + the + animal + (prepositional phrase)
walk + possessive + animal
用法筆記
Almost always used with a domestic animal as the object. Dogs are by far the most common, but horses and other pets can also be walked. In informal speech, 'walk the dog' is a fixed phrase that does not always imply a long walk.
常見錯誤
4. used before a noun to say that a person is a very clear example of that thing —
used before a noun to say that a person is a very clear example of that thing — for instance, someone who causes accidents every day can be called a walking disaster, and someone who knows everything can be called a walking encyclopedia.
The new assistant is a walking disaster — she spilled coffee on the manager twice.
a walking disaster (fixed expression)
Ask Arjun about history; he is a walking encyclopedia on the topic.
a walking encyclopedia (fixed expression)
Eitan is a walking dictionary who can explain the meaning of any rare word.
My grandmother is a walking miracle — she recovered from an illness that doctors said was impossible.
文法句型
a walking + [noun describing a quality]
用法筆記
Only used in the pattern [a walking + noun]. Common nouns in this pattern include: disaster, encyclopedia, dictionary, miracle, stereotype, and contradiction. This is technically a present participle used as an adjective, not a typical verb use.
常見錯誤
5. to receive no penalty from a judge when someone has been tried for a crime, usua
to receive no penalty from a judge when someone has been tried for a crime, usually because the case could not be proved.
The court had no proof against her, so she walked free.
walk + free (resultative adjective)
Despite the serious charges, the defendant walked from court without a penalty.
walk + from court
The police found no evidence, so the suspect walked free that same evening.
The jury found no evidence against Bao, so he walked free from the courthouse.
- be acquitted
formal legal term; decided by a judge or jury
- be cleared
less formal; means officially found not guilty
- be convicted
to be found guilty of a crime
- be sentenced
to receive a punishment from the court
文法句型
walk + free
walk + from + court
用法筆記
Often used with the adjective 'free' after the verb (walk free). Also used in informal journalism to describe someone who avoids punishment. The subject is always a person who has been accused of something.
常見錯誤
6. to stop working for a company or leave a position suddenly, usually because you
to stop working for a company or leave a position suddenly, usually because you did not get a pay increase, better conditions, or a promotion that you asked for.
When the company refused to raise wages, half of the staff walked.
The head chef walked after the restaurant owners ignored his complaints about the kitchen.
walk + after + reason clause
Three nurses walked when the hospital tried to cut their weekend pay.
The entire design team walked after management demanded twice the work for the same pay.
- stay on
continue working at the same job
文法句型
walk + (preposition: out, off)
walk + because of + reason
用法筆記
Informal. Often interchangeable with the phrasal verb 'walk out.' The reason for leaving is usually stated nearby, either as a because-clause or in the surrounding context.
常見錯誤
7. In cricket, when a batter accepts that their turn at batting should end (usually
In cricket, when a batter accepts that their turn at batting should end (usually because they hit the ball and a fielder caught it), they may leave the playing area on their own before the umpire gives an official signal.
Captain Andrés surprised the crowd by walking before the umpire made his decision.
Owen edged the ball and walked without waiting for the umpire's signal.
walk + without + [umpire action]
Noor knew she hit the ball, so she walked without waiting for the umpire.
Xiu walked off the pitch after the ball hit the edge of his bat.
- leave the pitch
more general description of the action, not a fixed term
用法筆記
Only used in the sport of cricket. The action is voluntary — the batter chooses to walk and is not forced off the field. Distinguished from general 'walk off' (MOVE ON FOOT sense 1) by the cricket-specific context and the semantic narrowing to admitting you are out.
常見錯誤
8. In baseball, to get to first base because the pitcher throws four pitches that m
In baseball, to get to first base because the pitcher throws four pitches that miss the strike zone and the batter does not swing at them. When used transitively, it means the pitcher is the one who throws those four misses, allowing the batter to advance.
Lakshmi walked to first base after the pitcher threw four balls outside the zone.
intransitive: walk + to [base]
The pitcher walked Tamás by throwing four pitches that went too wide.
transitive: pitcher + walk + batter
Mert walked to first base after Sana threw four straight balls outside the zone.
Beatrix walked on four pitches and later scored from third base.
Christopher never walked a single batter during the whole championship game.
- draw a walk
more technical baseball term for the batter's perspective
- earn a base on balls
formal baseball terminology
- strike out
opposite outcome — batter fails to reach base
文法句型
walk + to [base] (intransitive)
walk + batter (transitive)
用法筆記
Has two subject possibilities: the batter (intransitive: 'He walked') or the pitcher (transitive: 'He walked three batters'). In baseball statistics the formal term is 'base on balls' (BB). Distinguished from verb sense 7 (CRICKET WALK) by the sport and the transitive/intransitive contrast.
常見錯誤
9. To succeed in a test, competition, or challenge with very little effort, as if t
To succeed in a test, competition, or challenge with very little effort, as if the result were certain from the very beginning.
Talia walked the maths exam and finished twenty minutes before the bell.
walk + [exam] object
The defending team walked the final match with a score of four goals to one.
Sari walked the driving test on her very first try last Thursday.
Nobody expected the young swimmer to walk the race so comfortably.
- sail through
similar informal register, 'sailed through the exam'
- pass with flying colours
slightly more formal, emphasises high achievement
文法句型
walk + noun phrase (exam, competition, match)
用法筆記
Informal. The object is always something that can be passed or won (exam, test, competition, race, match). Never used for physical walking or carrying objects. Common in British and American informal speech but considered casual rather than formal English.
常見錯誤
walk — noun
- walksingular
- walksplural
1. an act of moving on foot from one place to another, done for exercise or simply
an act of moving on foot from one place to another, done for exercise or simply as a pleasant way to spend time
Liang and his wife went for a walk around the lake after dinner.
go for a walk + prepositional phrase
The puppy needs a short walk every morning before breakfast.
A brisk walk in the park helped Élise clear her thoughts before the exam.
Rachid takes a walk along the beach every Sunday at sunrise.
After sitting at a desk all morning, a ten-minute walk felt wonderful.
文法句型
go for a walk
take a walk
have a walk
用法筆記
Frequently used in fixed phrases: 'go for a walk', 'take a walk', and 'have a walk'. The noun is almost always singular in these constructions.
常見錯誤
2. a path or trail that is designed or commonly used for walking, especially in a n
a path or trail that is designed or commonly used for walking, especially in a natural or scenic area
There is a lovely walk through the pine forest behind the village.
The coastal walk offers stunning views of the ocean and the nearby islands.
coastal walk / nature walk — common compound nouns
Allison followed the marked walk up to the mountain lookout point.
This old railway line has been turned into a walk for cyclists and walkers.
The nature walk around the lake is about three kilometres long.
用法筆記
Often appears in compound nouns such as 'nature walk', 'coastal walk', 'forest walk'. Usually refers to a designated route rather than any street or pavement.
3. the particular way a person moves their body when walking, which can reveal thei
the particular way a person moves their body when walking, which can reveal their mood, personality, or physical condition
Christopher recognised his father by his slow, steady walk.
Minh had a confident walk that made people notice him when he entered a room.
possessive adjective + walk: his walk, her walk, their walk
After the leg injury, Liam's walk became slow and uneven.
The dance teacher corrected Joaquín's walk, telling him to stand taller.
You can tell she is tired from her heavy, slow walk up the stairs.
文法句型
possessive + walk
adjective + walk
用法筆記
Almost always singular and used with a possessive determiner or an adjective. The focus is on the style or quality of movement, not the act itself.
常見錯誤
4. the speed at which a person or animal moves when walking, as opposed to running
the speed at which a person or animal moves when walking, as opposed to running or going faster
The tour guide slowed to a walk so that everyone could keep up.
slow to a walk / drop to a walk
The horse moved at a comfortable walk through the narrow streets.
at a walk — prepositional phrase describing pace
Élise dropped from a run to a walk at the top of the hill.
The marching band moved at a slow walk while playing the national anthem.
- pace
a more general term for speed of movement, used for walking or running
文法句型
at a walk
slow to a walk
drop to a walk
用法筆記
Always singular. Commonly used with prepositions: 'at a walk' describes the pace of movement, and 'to a walk' describes a change from a faster pace.
5. a distance that is short enough to be covered on foot, used to describe the clos
a distance that is short enough to be covered on foot, used to describe the closeness of one place to another
The hotel is just a five-minute walk from the train station.
a [number]-minute walk from [place] — expressing distance by time
It is a short walk from Ari's apartment to the university library.
The school is an easy walk from Lakshmi's house, even for young children.
A ten-minute walk along the river took the group to the restaurant.
Nikhil lives only a short walk from the beach where he swims each morning.
- stroll
emphasises the ease and pleasure, not just the distance
文法句型
a [number]-minute walk
a [number]-minute walk from [place]
an easy walk
用法筆記
Frequently used with time expressions: 'five-minute walk', 'ten-minute walk'. The preposition 'from' indicates the starting point, and 'to' or 'from' indicates the destination.
常見錯誤
6. in baseball, a play where the person at bat heads to first base without hitting,
in baseball, a play where the person at bat heads to first base without hitting, because the pitcher delivered four throws that were not in the strike zone
Darius earned a walk in the fourth inning and later scored the winning run.
earn a walk / draw a walk — getting a walk through patience
The pitcher gave up three walks in the first two innings of the game.
With a walk, the bases were loaded and the crowd grew louder.
The coach told the batter to be patient and try to earn a walk.
Allison's walk in the ninth inning brought the winning run to the plate.
- base on balls
the official baseball term for a walk
- free pass
informal term emphasising that the batter advances without hitting the ball
文法句型
earn a walk
draw a walk
give up a walk
walk-off walk
用法筆記
Primarily American English. Also called a 'base on balls' in official rules. The verb form 'walk' is also used: 'The pitcher walked the batter'.