To walk the plank

To walk the plank
Walk Walk, v. t. 1. To pass through, over, or upon; to traverse; to perambulate; as, to walk the streets. [1913 Webster]

As we walk our earthly round. --Keble. [1913 Webster]

2. To cause to walk; to lead, drive, or ride with a slow pace; as, to walk one's horses; to walk the dog. `` I will rather trust . . . a thief to walk my ambling gelding.'' --Shak. [1913 Webster +PJC]

3. [AS. wealcan to roll. See {Walk} to move on foot.] To subject, as cloth or yarn, to the fulling process; to full. [Obs. or Scot.] [1913 Webster]

4. (Sporting) To put or keep (a puppy) in a walk; to train (puppies) in a walk. [Cant] [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

5. To move in a manner likened to walking. [Colloq.]

She walked a spinning wheel into the house, making it use first one and then the other of its own spindling legs to achieve progression rather than lifting it by main force. --C. E. Craddock.

{To walk one's chalks}, to make off; take French leave.

{To walk the plank}, to walk off the plank into the water and be drowned; -- an expression derived from the practice of pirates who extended a plank from the side of a ship, and compelled those whom they would drown to walk off into the water; figuratively, to vacate an office by compulsion. --Bartlett. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Walk the Plank — may refer to:* Walking the plank, a form of murder or torture practiced by rogue seafarers * Walk the Plank (gameshow), a South African television gameshow * Walk the Plank (theatre company), an English pyrotechnics and theatre company * Walk the …   Wikipedia

  • Walk the Plank (theatre company) — Walk the Plank is a firm who specialize in pyrotechnics and theatre and organizing events. Their shows are on land and on water and can include stage plays, music, lighting, visual images, fire, and fireworks. They were established by John… …   Wikipedia

  • walk the plank — {v. phr.} 1. To walk off a board extended over the side of a ship and be drowned. * /The pirates captured the ship and forced the crew to walk the plank./ 2. {informal} To resign from a job because someone makes you do it. * /When a new owner… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • walk the plank — {v. phr.} 1. To walk off a board extended over the side of a ship and be drowned. * /The pirates captured the ship and forced the crew to walk the plank./ 2. {informal} To resign from a job because someone makes you do it. * /When a new owner… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • walk the plank — ► walk the plank (formerly) be forced by pirates to walk blindfold along a plank over the side of a ship to one s death in the sea. Main Entry: ↑plank …   English terms dictionary

  • walk the plank — INFORMAL ► to be forced to leave your job because of something bad you have done: »The expenses scandal gave several ministers no option but to walk the plank. Main Entry: ↑walk …   Financial and business terms

  • Walk the Plank (gameshow) — Walk the Plank is a South African television gameshow produced for the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) in 2005. It was hosted by Rutendo Matinyarare. A crossover of Survivor and traditional quiz shows but with a voiceover and puzzle …   Wikipedia

  • walk the plank — If someone walks the plank, they are going toward their own destruction or downfall …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • walk the plank — phrasal 1. : to be compelled especially by pirates to walk along a plank sticking out over the side of a ship until one falls into the sea 2. : to vacate an office or position under compulsion * * * walk the plank To suffer the former maritime… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Walk the Plank (Pirates of the Mississippi album) — Infobox Album Name = Walk the Plank Type = studio Artist = Pirates of the Mississippi Released = Start date|1991|09|30 Recorded = Genre = Country Length = 43:52 Label = Capitol Nashville Producer = Jimmey Bowen Richard Alves Reviews = *Allmusic… …   Wikipedia

  • walk the plank — 1) be forced to resign from a job The vice president was forced to walk the plank when the new president joined the company. 2) be forced by pirates to walk a long plank from the ship out over the water to your death The pirates seized the small… …   Idioms and examples

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