Meaning

noun the area on a billiard table behind the balkline

noun something immaterial that interferes with or delays action or progress

noun one of several parallel sloping beams that support a roof

originFrom Middle English balke, from Old English balca, either from or influenced by Old Norse bálkr (“partition, ridge of land”), from Proto-Germanic *balkô. Cognate with Dutch balk (“balk”), German Balken (“balk”), Italian balcone (“balcony”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0