walk / wôk/ • v. 1. [intr.] move at a regular and fairly slow 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. ∎  use similar movements but of a different part of one's body or a support: he could walk on his hands, carrying a plate on one foot. ∎  go on foot for recreation and exercise: you can walk in 21,000 acres of mountain and moorland. ∎  [tr.] travel along or over (a route or area) on foot: the police department has encouraged officers to walk the beat. ∎  (of a quadruped) proceed with the slowest gait, always having at least two feet on the ground at once. ∎  [tr.] ride (a horse) at this pace: he walked his horse toward her. ∎ inf. abandon or suddenly withdraw from a job, commitment, or situation: they can walk away from the deal we were expecting the merger with Bell to go through—we didn't expect Bell to walk on the deal. ∎ inf. be released from suspicion or from a charge: had any of the others come clean during the trial, he might have walked. ∎  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. ∎  (of a ghost) be present and visible: the ghosts of Bannockburn walked abroad. ∎ archaic used to describe the way in which someone lives or behaves: walk humbly with your God. ∎  Baseball be awarded first base after not swinging at four balls pitched outside the strike zone. ∎  [tr.] Baseball allow or enable (a batter) to do this. ∎  Baseball (of a pitcher) give a walk with the bases loaded so as to force in (a run). ∎ Basketball another term for travel (sense 2).2. [tr.] cause or enable (someone or something) to walk or move as though walking: she walked her fingers over the dresses. ∎  guide, accompany, or escort (someone) on foot: he walked her home to her door. ∎  [tr.] take (a domestic animal, typically a dog) out for exercise: a man walking his retriever. ∎  push (a bicycle or motorcycle) while walking alongside it.• n. 1. an act of traveling or an excursion on foot: he was too restless to sleep, so he went out for a walk. ∎  [in sing.] used to indicate the time that it will take someone to reach a place on foot or the distance that they must travel: the library is within five minutes' walk. ∎  a route recommended or marked out for recreational walking. ∎  a sidewalk or path. ∎  a part of a forest under one keeper.2. [in sing.] an unhurried rate of movement on foot: they crossed the field at a leisurely walk. ∎  the slowest gait of an animal. ∎  a person's manner of walking: the spring was back in his walk.3. Baseball an instance of being awarded (or allowing a batter to reach) first base after not swinging at four balls pitched outside the strike zone.PHRASES: walk all over inf. treat in a thoughtless, disrespectful, and exploitative manner: they thought they could come in and walk all over us. ∎  defeat easily.walking encyclopedia (also walking dictionary) inf. a person who has an impressive knowledge of facts or words.walk someone off their feet walk with someone until they are exhausted.walk of life the position within society that someone holds or the part of society to which they belong as a result of their job or social status: the courses attracted people from all walks of life.walk on airsee air.walk on eggshells be extremely cautious about one's words or actions.walk one's talk (also walk the walk) suit one's actions to one's words.walk the planksee plank.walk the streets1. walk freely in a town or city.2. work as a prostitute.walk the wards dated gain experience as a clinical medical student.win in a walk win without effort or competition.PHRASAL VERBS: walk away easily, casually, or irresponsibly abandon a situation in which one is involved or for which one is responsible.walk away with inf. another way of saying walk off with.walk in on enter suddenly or unexpectedly. ∎  intrude on: he was clearly not expecting her to walk in on him just then.walk into inf. encounter or become involved in through ignorance or carelessness: I had walked into a situation from which there was no escape.walk off with inf. 1. steal.2. win: the team walked off with a silver medal.walk something off exercise on foot in order to undo the effects of a heavy meal.walk out1. depart suddenly or angrily. ∎  leave one's job suddenly. ∎  go on strike. ∎  abandon someone or something toward which one has responsibilities: he walked out on his wife.2. Brit., inf., dated go for walks in courtship: you were walking out with Tom.walk over inf. another way of saying walk all over. walk through rehearse (a play or other piece), reading the lines aloud from a script and performing the actions of the characters. ∎  act or perform in a perfunctory or lackluster manner.walk someone through guide (someone) carefully through a process: a meeting to walk parents through the complaint process.DERIVATIVES: walk·a·ble / ˈwôkəbəl/ adj.

walk walk the walk and talk the talk suit one's actions to one's words.
we must learn to walk before we can run proverbial saying, mid 14th century; meaning that a solid foundation is necessary for faster progress.

See also after dinner rest a while, after supper walk a mile, walk on eggshells at eggshell, the ghost walks.

walk1 intr. †roll, toss; †move about, journey, go OE.; travel on foot, (tr.) traverse on foot XIII; lead at a walk XV. OE. str. vb. wealcan, corr. to (M)LG., (M)Du. walken full, work (felt), cudgel, OHG. *walchen, in pps. ge-, forwalchen felted, matted (MHG. walken knead, full, cudgel), ON. valka drag about, torment, refl. wallow; f. Gmc. *walk-, of unkn. orig.
Hence walk sb. XIV. Cf. next.

walk2 full (cloth). XV. — (M)LG., (M)Du. walken (see prec.); perh. partly from the agent-noun walker (-ER1) OE. wealcere, (M)LG., (M)Du. walker, OHG. walkāri (G. walker); ult. identical with WALK1.

Walk

a procession, hence, the group in the procession; the procession participating in the beating of parish boundaries, 1563.

Examples: walk of snails; of snipe (a flock), 1486.