Fork (?), n. [AS. forc, fr. L. furca. Cf. Fourch, Furcate.]
1.
An instrument consisting 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 of 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 ∨ a road, the branches into which it divides, or which come together to form it; the place where separation or union takes place.
© Webster 1913.
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. 1
2.
To divide into two or more branches; as, a road, a tree, or a stream forks.
© Webster 1913.
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 ∨ out, to hand or pay over, as money. [Slang]
G. Eliot.
© Webster 1913.