pitchfork

English

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pitchfork

Wikipedia

Etymology

From Middle English pichfork, pycchefork, pychforke, pikeforke, pikkforke, pic-forcke, equivalent to pitch +‎ fork.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpɪt͡ʃˌfɔɹk/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

Noun

pitchfork (plural pitchforks)

1. An agricultural tool comprising a fork with sparse, light tines, attached to a long handle, used for pitching hay (especially loose hay) high up onto a stack (as on a wagon or haystack, or into a haymow).
2. A similar fork with slightly more and heavier tines, used for mucking stalls and pitching soiled bedding into a wagon or manure spreader.
3. (casual, loosely) Any fork used for farm labor, even a digging fork (but such usage is often considered ignorant by experienced farmers).
4. (rare) A tuning fork.
   • 1988, Tony Trischka, Pete Wernick, Masters of the 5-String Banjo: In Their Own Words and Music, page 400:

     I went around with a pitchfork [tuning fork] in my pocket, and I'd hit it whenever I thought of it, and I developed perfect pitch […]

Coordinate terms

• digging fork

Derived terms

• pitchforkful
• rain pitchforks

Translations

Verb

pitchfork (third-person singular simple present pitchforks, present participle pitchforking, simple past and past participle pitchforked)

1. (transitive) To toss or carry with a pitchfork.

   The hay was soon pitchforked onto the wagon.

2. (transitive, figurative) To throw suddenly.
   • 1925, Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons, The Parliamentary Debates, Official Report:

     We have taken an age-old country, and we have suddenly, in 30 years, pitchforked it into the middle of the factory system.

Further reading

• Category:pitchfork on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons