fork
Pluralforks
Pluralforks
- 1A small tool with thin pointed ends, used to pick up and eat food or hold it still while cutting.
Like a tiny hand with thin fingers for grabbing food.
She picked up the noodles with her fork.
The forks were set neatly beside each plate.
UsagePeople say a knife and fork: eat with a knife and fork.
Note
- 2
- 3A part where something splits into two or more branches, like a prong or a branch of a road.
Like the place where a tree trunk splits into two big branches.
Take the left fork of the trail to get to the lake.
The two forks of the river meet again farther downstream.
UsageSay take the left fork or the right fork.
Note
- 4To split into two or more separate branches, paths, or copies.
Like a tree branch that splits into two smaller branches.
The road forks just past the gas station.
Paths like this often fork near the river.
UsageOften with no object: the road forks. You can also fork something into parts.
- 5The part of a bike or motorcycle that holds the front wheel and lets the rider steer.
Like two legs reaching down to hold the front wheel.
The bike's front fork bent after the crash.
He replaced the fork on his mountain bike.
UsagePeople also say front fork.
Note
- 6A tool with long pointed ends, used for digging, lifting hay, or turning over soil.
Like a big eating fork made for soil instead of food.
The farmer lifted the hay with a long fork.
She loosened the weeds with a small hand fork.
- 7A time when you must choose between different ways forward, or one of those ways.
Like reaching a split in a path, where you can only walk one way.
Finishing school left her at a fork: college or a full-time job.
The company reached a fork and had to pick one plan.
UsageSay at a fork in the road or at a fork in your life.
Similarcrossroads
- 8A small metal tool with two prongs that makes a clear, steady musical note when struck.
Like a little metal U that sings one note when you tap it.
She struck the fork and a clear, steady note rang out.
The piano tuner held a fork against the wood to hear the pitch.
UsageMost people say tuning fork.
- 9In software, to make your own copy of a project and change it separately.
Like copying a recipe and then changing it to make your own dish.
Developers decided to fork the project after the team split.
Anyone can fork the code and build their own version.
UsageYou fork a project, or a project forks.
Note
- 10A machine with two flat metal arms at the front, used to lift and move heavy loads.
Like a strong machine with two arms that lifts heavy things for you.
The driver used the fork to stack the boxes.
A fork raised the heavy pallet onto the truck.
Similarforklift
- 11A split in a blockchain that creates two separate chains, often because users disagree about its rules.
Like a road that splits in two, with people choosing different ways to go.
The community couldn't agree on new rules, so the currency went through a fork.
After the fork, two versions of the coin existed side by side.
Similarsplit
Note
- 12In software, a separate version made from a copy of another project.
Like making your own copy of a recipe and slowly changing it until it's a new dish.
Their app started as a fork of an older free program.
He downloaded a community fork that added the missing features.
UsageSay a fork of a project.
Note
Less common meanings
- 13To lift or move something, like hay or food, using a tool with prongs.
Like scooping food with a big pronged tool instead of a spoon.
Workers fork the hay onto the wagon all afternoon.
He forked the manure into a pile by the fence.
UsageOften followed by where it goes: fork hay into a cart.
Note
- 14One of the flat metal arms on the front of a forklift, used to lift and carry loads.
Like two flat metal fingers that slide under a heavy box to lift it.
The driver raised the forks to lift the heavy crate.
One fork was bent, so the load kept tipping.
UsageOften the forks: raise the forks.
- 15To attack two of the other player's pieces at the same time with a single piece.
Like one player tagging two opponents at the same moment in a game.
Her knight can fork the king and the rook.
He forked two pawns with a single bishop.
UsageSay fork two pieces: fork the king and the rook.
- 16A move in chess where one piece attacks two enemy pieces at the same time.
Like aiming one arrow that can strike either of two targets.
Her knight set up a fork and won the rook.
He missed the fork and lost his queen.
UsageOften knight fork.
Note
- 17Another word for fuck that sounds milder, used for sex or in angry or dismissive outbursts.
Fork this traffic, I'm walking home.
She was furious enough to tell him to fork himself.
Note
- 18To start a new computer process by making a copy of one that is already running.
- 19When information on one topic gets split into separate copies that may disagree.
- 20To kick someone hard between the legs.
- 21The part of the body where the two legs join: the crotch.
- 22A separate set of data that belongs to a single file in some computer file systems.
- 23The raised front part of a saddle.
- 24A wooden frame used to hang people.
They had run through all punishments, and just 'scaped the fork
a. 1680, Samuel Butler, Characters - 25Of grain, to put out long thin leaves.
- 26The deepest part of the hole where water gathers in a mine.
- 27To take all the water out of a mine shaft.
Showing meanings only.
Practice
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Origin
This word comes from Latin 'furca', meaning a pitchfork or forked stake. It came into English through Old and Middle English words for a forked tool.
Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 2 facts
- English fork derives ultimately from Latin furca, through Old English and Middle English forms referring to forked tools. en.wiktionary.org
- Latin furca meant a pitchfork or forked stake. en.wiktionary.org