the point or part at which a thing, as a river or a road, divides into branches: Bear left at the fork in the road.
either of the branches into which a thing divides.
Horology. (in a lever escapement) the forked end of the lever engaging with the ruby pin.
a principal tributary of a river.
the support of the front wheel axles of a bicycle or motorcycle, having the shape of a two-pronged fork.
the barbed head of an arrow.
verb (used with object)
to pierce, raise, pitch, dig, etc., with a fork.
to make into the form of a fork.
Chess. to maneuver so as to place (two opponent's pieces) under simultaneous attack by the same piece.
Digital Technologyto copy (the source code) from a piece of software and develop a new version independently, with the result of producing two unique pieces of software.
verb (used without object)
to divide into branches: Turn left where the road forks.
to turn as indicated at a fork in a road, path, etc.: Fork left and continue to the top of the hill.
Verb Phrases
fork over/out/up, Informal. to hand over; deliver; pay: Fork over the money you owe me!
Origin of fork
before 1000;Middle Englishforke,Old Englishforca < Latinfurca fork, gallows, yoke
Related formsfork·less, adjectivefork·like, adjectiveun·fork, verb (used with object)
a small usually metal implement consisting of two, three, or four long thin prongs on the end of a handle, used for lifting food to the mouth or turning it in cooking, etc
an agricultural tool consisting of a handle and three or four metal prongs, used for lifting, digging, etc
a pronged part of any machine, device, etc
(of a road, river, etc)
a division into two or more branches
the point where the division begins
such a branch
mainlyUSthe main tributary of a river
chessa position in which two pieces are forked
verb
(tr)to pick up, dig, etc, with a fork
(tr)chessto place (two enemy pieces) under attack with one of one's own pieces, esp a knight
(tr)to make into the shape of a fork
(intr)to be divided into two or more branches
to take one or other branch at a fork in a road, river, etc
Old English forca "forked instrument used by torturers," a Germanic borrowing (cf. Old Norse forkr) from Latin furca "pitchfork; fork used in cooking," of uncertain origin.
Table forks were not generally used in England until 15c. The word is first attested in this sense in English in a will of 1463, probably from Old North French forque (Old French furche, Modern French fourche), from the Latin word. Of rivers, from 1753; of roads, from 1839.
fork
v.
"to divide in branches, go separate ways" (early 14c.), from fork (n.). Related: Forked; forking. The slang verb phrase fork up (or out) "give over" is from 1831.
