Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Fork?

\Fork\ (f[^o]rj), n. [AS. forc, fr. L. furca. Cf. {Fourch['e]}, {Furcate}.] 1. An instrument consisting of a handle with a shank terminating in two or more prongs or tines, which are usually of metal, parallel and slightly curved; -- used from piercing, holding, taking up, or pitching anything. 2. Anything furcate or like a fork in shape, or furcate at the extremity; as, a tuning fork. 3. One of the parts into which anything is furcated or divided; a prong; a branch of a stream, a road, etc.; a barbed point, as of an arrow. Let it fall . . . though the fork invade The region of my heart. --Shak. A thunderbolt with three forks. --Addison. 4. The place where a division or a union occurs; the angle or opening between two branches or limbs; as, the fork of a river, a tree, or a road. 5. The gibbet. [Obs.] --Bp. Butler. {Fork beam} (Shipbuilding), a half beam to support a deck, where hatchways occur. {Fork chuck} (Wood Turning), a lathe center having two prongs for driving the work. {Fork head}. (a) The barbed head of an arrow. (b) The forked end of a rod which forms part of a knuckle joint. {In fork}. (Mining) A mine is said to be in fork, or an engine to ``have the water in fork,'' when all the water is drawn out of the mine. --Ure. {The forks of a river} or {a road}, the branches into which it divides, or which come together to form it; the place where separation or union takes place.
\Fork\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Forked}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Forking}.] 1. To shoot into blades, as corn. The corn beginneth to fork. --Mortimer. 2. To divide into two or more branches; as, a road, a tree, or a stream forks.
\Fork\, v. t. To raise, or pitch with a fork, as hay; to dig or turn over with a fork, as the soil. Forking the sheaves on the high-laden cart. --Prof. Wilson. {To fork} {over or out}, to hand or pay over, as money. [Slang] --G. Eliot.