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If he did not balk that means he did not refuse. Which means he complied.

What he did not do was comply/capitulate/etc.

Merriam-Webster has balk as to stop short and refuse to proceed. To understand the intended meaning, put the emphasis on the first part: If the mayor did not balk, he did not stop, that is, he refused to comply and proceeded with his plan.

> Merriam-Webster has balk as to stop short and refuse to proceed. To understand the intended meaning, put the emphasis on the first part: If the mayor did not balk, he did not stop, that is, he refused to comply and proceeded with his plan.

I feel like one of us is extremely confused.

"Balk" = "stop" = "refuse to proceed", right?

So "<did not> balk" = "<did not> stop" = "<did not> refuse to proceed", right?

"<Did not> refuse to proceed" with Microsoft's proposal therefore means he in fact complied with Microsoft's proposal and did proceed with it, right?

The thing he "<Did not> refuse to proceed" with was LiMux, his project for moving away from Microsoft.

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