forked

American  

[fawrkt, fawr-kid] / fɔrkt, ˈfɔr kɪd /

adjective

1. having a fork or fork-like branches.

2. zigzag, as lightning.

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idioms

1. to speak with / have a forked tongue, to speak deceitfully; attempt to deceive.

forked British  

/ ˈfɔːkɪdlɪ, fɔːkt, ˈfɔːkɪd /

adjective

1. 1. having a fork or forklike parts

   2. ( in combination )

      two-forked

2. having sharp angles; zigzag

3. insincere or equivocal (esp in the phrase forked tongue )

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Other Word Forms

• forkedly adverb
• forkedness noun
• unforked adjective

Etymology

Origin of forked

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; fork, -ed ³

Example Sentences

In 2008, he and a friend forked over $650,000 to have lunch with Buffett, which, he insisted External link, “was worth every dime.”

From Barron's • Mar. 12, 2026

Former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau has forked over $3.1 million for an expansive estate in Montreal’s exclusive Outremont neighborhood—and received the seal of approval from girlfriend Katy Perry.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 23, 2026

Some were so enticed by Koh they forked over copies of their ID cards, which then got used by other North Korean IT workers to grab more work.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 16, 2026

At one point told the investigation had been suspended, Hannah and Kris forked out even more money for a detailed forensic report, and threatened to make a formal complaint to the police watchdog.

From BBC • Feb. 8, 2025

Lightning came, now, making the tree trunks white as it forked down.

From "I'm the King of the Castle" by Susan Hill