balk

The Lakers, after both seasons, though, balked at re-signing those players in favor of ones they felt could better contribute on the court.

But it doesn’t just speak to the grim fact that many distributors balk at the film’s knotty subject matter, it also suggests that academy voters can still recognize great, revolutionary cinema when they see it.

Ironically, Carey initially balked at the idea of hosting, telling his agent “F— no.”

And some voters could balk at the prospect of an Oscar telecast dominated by apologies for/defenses of one woman’s social media vitriol.

Some advertisers might balk at the possibility of having their brands appear alongside false or offensive content or doing business with a company perceived as being dismissive of accuracy and online safety.