pitchfork
Americannoun
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pitchforks
plural
verb (used with object)
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pitchforks,
present (3rd person singular)
-
pitchforked,
past participle, past
-
pitchforking
present participle
noun
verb
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to use a pitchfork on (something)
-
to thrust (someone) unwillingly into a position
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
pitchforksimple
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pitchforkssimple
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have pitchforkedperfect
-
has pitchforkedperfect
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am pitchforkingprogressive
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are pitchforkingprogressive
-
is pitchforkingprogressive
-
have been pitchforkingperfect progressive
-
has been pitchforkingperfect progressive
Past
-
pitchforkedsimple
-
had pitchforkedperfect
-
was pitchforkingprogressive
-
were pitchforkingprogressive
-
had been pitchforkingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of pitchfork
late Middle English word dating back to 1425–75; see origin at pitch 1, fork
Explanation
A pitchfork is a large three-pronged tool used for gardening or farming. If you want to see an image of a pitchfork, just google an image of the famous painting "American Gothic." With a pitchfork, a farmer can easily scoop beneath a pile of hay or straw, lift it, and toss it into a pile. Most pitchforks have wooden handles and metal prongs, and they've been around since the Middle Ages. Back then, they were sometimes used as a weapon too. The word pitchfork comes from the "toss or throw" meaning of pitch, plus fork, from the Old English forca, "forked instrument or weapon."
Vocabulary lists containing pitchfork
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Much less familiar is Guglielmo of Malavalle, a twelfth century hermit venerated by the Augustinians for defeating a dragon using a simple wooden staff shaped like a pitchfork.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 2, 2026
In a noticeable moment from “Cow,” a farmer baling hay strikes his pitchfork against a stone.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 4, 2025
Washington’s defense barely survived Arizona State’s blunted pitchfork of an offense and will be facing much better units down the stretch.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2023
“Those beautiful-world people accused us of not loving our elephants and torturing them by having them carrying tourists around or using hooks and chaining them,” said Mr. Aon, flicking Lucky more grass with a pitchfork.
From New York Times ● Apr. 1, 2023
My hands wrapped around the handle of the pitchfork, and I wiggled it back and forth.
From "Root Magic" by Eden Royce
A witty theater owner would match the mood by selling torches and pitchforks at the concession stand.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 5, 2026
A teenager draws his slingshot, while fighters holding prayer beads take control of a Soviet tank, and peasants clutching pitchforks face Soviet soldiers.
From Barron's ● Jan. 22, 2026
The shelters were dismantled by city workers and scraped off the flood channel floor with pitchforks, shovels and bulldozers while those who lived in them watched.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 24, 2025
Animal lovers, passionate pet owners, fault-finding friends, anyone may come for you bearing digital torches and pitchforks.
From Salon ● Dec. 6, 2024
They carried pitchforks and shovels and any mean-looking thing they could find, and they made a circle around Uppity and his fireplace.
From "The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs" by Betty G. Birney
The moving tribute pitchforked the reclusive artist and his works onto the global stage.
From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2023
“Once that mob is going, we’ve just got to cave in to what the mob is saying. You don’t want to get pitchforked yourself.”
From Washington Post ● Dec. 7, 2022
Tortorella said the questionable officiating “started with the noncall when Gaby’s walking in and gets pitchforked in the stomach, and then everything starts going against us.”
From New York Times ● Jan. 4, 2012
The devil finds work for idle actors, and this week he's pitchforked Nicolas Cage and Anthony Hopkins into satanic horror movies.
From The Guardian ● Feb. 27, 2011
I have told you that there's a kind of international conference going on about here and I've sort of been pitchforked into the affair.
From Mr. Grex of Monte Carlo by Will Grefé
“It’s kind of like snow,” said Wiley McFarland, 83, a longtime rancher and community leader who wearily recalls pitchforking thousands of the plants out of his irrigation ditches and cattle corrals during particularly bad years.
From New York Times ● Oct. 27, 2011
When he drew near they put more spirit into their pitchforking.
From Fort Amity by Sir Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch
I've come to apologize," said the Duchess, "for pitchforking a stranger into your room like this; but I'm sorry for the woman.
From Barnaby A Novel by R. Ramsay
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
