pitchfork

Meaning

Noun

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. (broadly, informal) 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.

Verb

1. (transitive) To toss or carry with a pitchfork.
2. (figuratively, transitive) To throw suddenly.

Synonyms

fork

hayfork

prong

muckrake

pick

⛏️

pierce

pike

rake

spear

toothpick

tuning fork

crotch

tuning-fork

diapason

dung fork

Translations

fourche

horca

forcone

forcado

Mistgabel

forca

δίκρανο

hooivork

δικράνι

Heugabel

Gabel

forquilha

schubsen

fourchette

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈpɪt͡ʃˌfɔɹk/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: pichfork

In summary

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