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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

fork en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

  • (General-American) audio
  • (Received-Pronunciation) audio
  • /fɔːk/ (Received-Pronunciation)
  • /fɔɹk/ (General-American)
  • [fo̞ɹk] (General-American)
  • /fo(ː)ɹk/ without the horse–hoarse merger, rhotic

Etymology

From Middle English forke (“digging fork”), from Old English force, forca (“forked instrument used to torture”), from Proto-West Germanic *furkō (“fork”), from Latin furca (“pitchfork, forked stake; gallows, beam, stake, support post, yoke”), of uncertain origin. The Middle English word was later reinforced by Anglo-Norman, Old Northern French forque (= Old French forche whence French fourche), also from the Latin. Doublet of fourche and furcate. Cognate also with North Frisian forck (“fork”), Dutch vork (“fork”), Danish fork (“fork”), German Forke (“pitchfork”). Displaced native gafol, ġeafel, ġeafle (“fork”), from Old English. In its primary sense of “fork”, Latin furca appears to be derived from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰerk(ʷ)-, *ǵʰerg(ʷ)- (“fork”), although the development of the -c- is difficult to explain. In other senses this derivation is unlikely. For these, perhaps it is connected to Proto-Germanic *furkaz, *firkalaz (“stake, stick, pole, post”), from Proto-Indo-European *perg- (“pole, post”). If so, this would relate the word to Old English forclas pl (“bolt”), Old Saxon ferkal (“lock, bolt, bar”), Old Norse forkr (“pole, staff, stick”), Norwegian fork (“stick, bat”), Swedish fork (“pole”).

Meanings

  1. Any of several types of pronged (tined) tools (physical tools), as follows: ▸ A utensil with spikes used to put solid food into the mouth, or to hold food down while cutting, or for serving food.
  2. Any of several types of pronged (tined) tools (physical tools), as follows: ▸ Any of several types of pronged tools for use on farms, in fields, or in the garden or lawn, such as a smaller hand fork for weeding or a larger one for turning over the soil.
  3. Any of several types of pronged (tined) tools (physical tools), as follows: ▸ Any of several types of pronged tools for use on farms, in fields, or in the garden or lawn, such as a smaller hand fork for weeding or a larger one for turning over the soil. ▸ Such a pronged tool having a long straight handle, generally for two-handed use, as used for digging, lifting, mucking, pitching, etc.
  4. Any of several types of pronged (tined) tools (physical tools), as follows: ▸ A tuning fork.
  5. (from the tool shape, physical, qualifier:by abstraction) A fork in the road, as follows: ▸ An intersection in a road or path where one road is split into two.
  6. (figuratively, from the tool shape, qualifier:by abstraction) A fork in the road, as follows: ▸ A decision point.
  7. (from the tool shape, qualifier:by abstraction) A point where a waterway, such as a river or other stream, splits and flows into two (or more) different directions.
  8. (metonymically, qualifier:analogous to any prong of a pronged tool) 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.
    • this fork of the river dries up during droughts
    • a thunderbolt with three forks
  9. (figuratively, qualifier:decision-making) A point in time where one has to make a decision between two life paths.
  10. (figuratively, metonymically, qualifier:decision-making) A point in time where one has to make a decision between two life paths. ▸ Either of the (figurative) paths thus taken.
  11. (figuratively, from a physical fork, metonymically, qualifier:by abstraction) (software development, content management, data management) A departure from having a single source of truth (SSOT), sometimes intentionally but usually unintentionally. ▸ Any of the pieces/versions (of software, content, or data sets) thus created.
  12. (figuratively, from a physical fork, qualifier:by abstraction) (software development, content management, data management) A departure from having a single source of truth (SSOT), sometimes intentionally but usually unintentionally. ▸ The launch of one or more separate software development efforts based upon a modified copy of an existing project, especially in free and open-source software.
  13. (figuratively, from a physical fork, qualifier:by abstraction) (software development, content management, data management) A departure from having a single source of truth (SSOT), sometimes intentionally but usually unintentionally. ▸ The launch of one or more separate software development efforts based upon a modified copy of an existing project, especially in free and open-source software. ▸ Any of the software projects resulting from the launch of such separate software development efforts based upon a copy of the original project.
    • LibreOffice is a fork of OpenOffice.
  14. (figuratively, from a physical fork, qualifier:by abstraction; content management; content management) (software development, content management, data management) A departure from having a single source of truth (SSOT), sometimes intentionally but usually unintentionally. ▸ The splitting of the coverage of a topic (within a corpus of content) into two or more pieces.
    • A content fork may be intentional (as from a schism about goals) or unintentional (merely from a lack of reorganizing, so far).
  15. (figuratively, from a physical fork, qualifier:by abstraction; content management; content management; content management) (software development, content management, data management) A departure from having a single source of truth (SSOT), sometimes intentionally but usually unintentionally. ▸ The splitting of the coverage of a topic (within a corpus of content) into two or more pieces. ▸ Any of the pieces/versions of content thus created.
  16. (figuratively, from a physical fork, qualifier:by abstraction) (software development, content management, data management) A departure from having a single source of truth (SSOT), sometimes intentionally but usually unintentionally. ▸ A split in a blockchain resulting from protocol disagreements, or a branch of the blockchain resulting from such a split.
    • Known as a “fork”, the new version of bitcoin (dubbed Bitcoin XT) would support more transactions per hour, at the cost of increasing the amount of memory required to hold a full database of all the bitcoin transactions throughout history, known as the blockchain. 2015 August 17, Alex Hern, “Bitcoin's forked: chief scientist launches alternative proposal for the currency”, in The Guardian:
  17. The simultaneous attack of two adversary pieces with one single attacking piece (especially a knight).
  18. (UK, vulgar) The crotch.
  19. (colloquial) A forklift.
    • Are you qualified to drive a fork?
  20. Either of the blades of a forklift (or, in plural, the set of blades), on which the goods to be raised are loaded.
    • Get those forks tilted back more or you're gonna lose that pallet!
  21. (qualifier:by abstraction from a pronged tool's shape) In a bicycle or motorcycle, the portion of the frameset holding the front wheel, allowing the rider to steer and balance, also called front fork.
    • The fork can be equipped with a suspension on mountain bikes.
  22. The upper front brow of a saddle bow, connected in the tree by the two saddle bars to the cantle on the other end.
  23. (qualifier:file systems) A set of data associated with an individual file in some file systems.
    • HFS+ uses forks to store file data. Generally there are two types of forks available in HFS+, the data fork and the resource fork. 2025, Fergus Toolan, File System Forensics, John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN, page 357:
    • resource fork
  24. (obsolete) A gallows.
    • They had run through all punishments, and just 'scaped the fork a. 1680, Samuel Butler, Characters:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
forks Number=Plur lexicographic

Antonyms

confluence · single source of truth, SSOT

Coordinates

chork · foon · steak knife · table knife · knife · butter knife · spoon · spork

Deriveds

hayfork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · carving fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · digging fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · steak fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · Rolling Fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · fork found in kitchen (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · you can't outrun your fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · toasting-fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · fork-end (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · fork truck (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · knife and fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · forkbeard (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · soft fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · forkload (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · Roaring Fork River (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · fork luncheon (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · spade fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · replication fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · meat fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · prefork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · unfork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · bladed fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · forktail (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · fork supper (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · cut with a knife and fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · toasting fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · bent fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · fork grinder (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · military fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · forkwise (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · pastry fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · fondue fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · royal fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · dungfork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · barley fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · knork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · forkweed (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · Ash Fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · impossible fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · meatfork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · fork-tailed bush katydid (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · fork hoe (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · fingers were made before forks (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · fork lunch (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · pickle fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · multifork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · forker (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · fork buffet (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · fork F (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · farm-to-fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · fish fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · Morton's fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · Hume's fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · fork chuck (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · manure fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · forkless (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · hard fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · bike fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · shrimp fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · forkmaker (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · forklike (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · girder fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · fork-leaved sundew (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · fork in the road (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · fork-tailed flycatcher (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · seafood fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · slave fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · dung fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · spading fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · fork lightning (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · forkball (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · fork end (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · fork-tongued (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · forkhead (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · dessert fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · cake fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · fork beam (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · fork dinner (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · lettuce fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · Clear Fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · chip fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · fork bomb (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · bicycle fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · shakefork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · fork-join (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · forky (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · salad fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · dinner fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · Grand Forks (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · fork-tender (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · pitchfork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · fork-marked lemur (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · tree fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · winnowing fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · cocktail fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · winnowing-fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · fork grass (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · harpoon fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · hair fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · tuning fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · pie fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · crab fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · forkable (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · garden fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · silver fork novel (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · forkful (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · terrapin fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · fork oil (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted)) · knife-and-fork (Some of these are hyponyms (unsorted))

Descendants

paoka · 포크 · போர்க் · ఫోర్క్ · fork · ஃபோர்க் · ಫೋರ್ಕ್ · フォーク · forku

Relateds

trident · a three-prong spear somewhat resembling a pitchfork · denture

Synonyms

prong · branch · pommel · swell

Translations (502)

cs vidlička (eating utensil) · srn forku (eating utensil) · ug ئارا (eating utensil) · srn forku (pronged tool) · et teelahe (intersection) · eu sardexka (eating utensil) · it affluente (name of some river tributaries) · es forqueta (eating utensil) · uk ви́лка (eating utensil) · ur کانْٹا (eating utensil) · frr goobel (eating utensil) · ba һәнәк (pronged tool) · nl mestvork (pronged tool) · nn forgreining (point where a waterway splits) · as কাঁইটীয়া চামুচ (eating utensil) · fa چَنْگال (pronged tool) · nn gaffel (eating utensil) · fy foarke (eating utensil) · tg чангол (eating utensil) · vi nĩa (eating utensil) · it forchetta (chess: simultaneous attack) · gl forcada (pronged tool) · pt encruzilhada (figurative: point in time of making a decision) · mi torohanga (intersection) · ckt вилӄэн (eating utensil) · za fagca (eating utensil) · hsb widlički (eating utensil) · nl vork (eating utensil) · alt айырмууш (eating utensil) · pdt Gaufel (eating utensil) · dlg виилка (eating utensil) · ml ഫോർക്ക് (eating utensil) · nn gaffel (pronged tool) · ckt эюпинэӈ (eating utensil) · et veelahe (point where a waterway splits) · io forko (pronged tool) · rup bunelã (eating utensil) · it forchetta (eating utensil) · vec piron (eating utensil) · os вилкӕ (eating utensil) · str ŚKEXÁL¸S (pronged tool) · zh 叉兒 /叉儿 (eating utensil) · sh vile (pronged tool) · aii ܡܲܫܠܝܵܐ (pronged tool) · cy fforc (pronged tool) · az çəngəl (eating utensil) · bg ви́лица (chess: simultaneous attack) · pl jednoczesny atak (chess: simultaneous attack) · pl rozwidlenie (point where a waterway splits) · ja 分岐点 (intersection) · ru ви́лка (chess: simultaneous attack) · nb gaffel (bicycle or motorcycle fork) · mr फोर्क (computer science: splitting of a process) · aii ܟ̰ܲܢܓܲܠ (eating utensil) · it biforcazione (intersection) · es bifurcación (intersection) · rup furculitsã (eating utensil) · ky айрыча (eating utensil) · kn ಫೋರ್ಕ್ (eating utensil) · de Gabel (chess: simultaneous attack) · mi rīpekanga (intersection) · vi xiên (eating utensil) · it ramo (point where a waterway splits) · str ŚDXESET (intersection) · si ගෑරප්පුව (eating utensil) · ga gabhlóg (eating utensil) · fi haarukka (bicycle or motorcycle fork) · vi dĩa (eating utensil) · gl galleta (pronged tool) · az yaba (pronged tool) · ja(pronged tool) · koi вила (pronged tool) · kw gowl (pronged tool) · yi גאָפּל (eating utensil) · gl garfo (eating utensil) · tl tinidor (eating utensil) · da skillevej (intersection) · de Verzweigung (computer science: splitting of a process) · sv vägval (figurative: point in time of making a decision) · ky ашайры (eating utensil) · ky айры (pronged tool) · nl hooivork (pronged tool) · zh 叉子 (eating utensil) · fr fork (computer science: splitting of a process) · twf telędúnenemą (eating utensil) · bn কাঁটাচামচ (eating utensil) · el δικράνι (pronged tool) · tk şaryk (eating utensil) · sk vidly (pronged tool) · nrf fourchette (eating utensil) · pt forquilha (chess: simultaneous attack) · alt айырмаш (pronged tool) · de Fork (computer science: a separately developed project based upon a copy of an existing project) · cs rozcestí (intersection) · ca bifurcació (computer science: a separately developed project based upon a copy of an existing project) · ce мӏара (pronged tool) · sv gaffel (chess: simultaneous attack) · pl rozgałęzienie (intersection) · ta போர்க் (eating utensil) · ko 쇠스랑 (pronged tool) · de Gabel (eating utensil) · fy foarke (pronged tool) · pl widły (pronged tool) · sh vìljuška (eating utensil) · ky вилка (eating utensil) · scn fork (computer science: copying and separately developing a project) · pa کَانْٹا (eating utensil) · ca forca (pronged tool) · sv förgrening (intersection) · it bivio (intersection) · zza çengal (eating utensil) · be ві́лка (eating utensil) · sma tjåagka (eating utensil) · hu villa (chess: simultaneous attack) · it biforcazione (point where a waterway splits) · nl voorvork (bicycle or motorcycle fork) · lv dakša (chess: simultaneous attack) · vi càng (bicycle or motorcycle fork) · ne काँटा (eating utensil) · scn furcuni (pronged tool) · cop ϣⲗⲓⲧ (eating utensil) · fr duplication de processus (computer science: splitting of a process) · fa پَنْجَه (eating utensil) · it biforcazione (one of the parts into which anything is furcated) · fi haara (one of the parts into which anything is furcated) · et hang (pronged tool) · kk шанышқы (eating utensil) · tt чәнечке (eating utensil) · unm làxaokw (pronged tool) · ia furchetta (eating utensil) · br fourchetez (eating utensil) · bg ви́ла (pronged tool) · ga píce (pronged tool) · nb forgrening (point where a waterway splits) · mhn paru' (eating utensil) · gl galla (pronged tool) · my ခက်ရင်း (eating utensil) · str ŚDEXḴEN (point where a waterway splits) · my ခရင်း (eating utensil) · wa fortchete (pronged tool) · et kahvel (blades of a forklift) · mww rab rawg (eating utensil) · br gaol (pronged tool) · fr bifurcation (intersection) · af vurk (intersection) · eo forkego (pronged tool) · sk vidlička (eating utensil) · br forc'h (pronged tool) · ca forcall (point where a waterway splits) · mr फोर्क (computer science: a separately developed project based upon a copy of an existing project) · sv korsväg (intersection) · de Gabelung (intersection) · str J₭ELSTEN (eating utensil) · tk çarşak (eating utensil) · gd gràpa (pronged tool) · mn сэрээ (eating utensil) · ar شوكة (eating utensil) · sk obojsmerné spojenie (intersection) · mn ᠰᠡᠷᠡᠭᠡ (eating utensil) · rgn furchèta (eating utensil) · rm furtgetta (eating utensil) · da gaffel (chess: simultaneous attack) · khb ᦏᦴᧈᦉᦱᧂ (eating utensil) · cop ϣⲗⲟⲕϣⲓ (eating utensil) · lt išsišakojimas (intersection) · zh 攕仔 (eating utensil) · myv сянгине (eating utensil) · hy պատառաքաղ (pronged tool) · ko 포크 (eating utensil) · mi paoka (eating utensil) · fi tienhaara (figurative: point in time of making a decision) · nn forgreining (intersection) · pt ramificação (computer science: a separately developed project based upon a copy of an existing project) · pl fork (computer science: a separately developed project based upon a copy of an existing project) · hu villa (eating utensil) · nl vork (intersection) · st fereko (eating utensil) · kea garfu (eating utensil) · et käpad (blades of a forklift) · li splitsjing (intersection) · nl splitsing (point where a waterway splits) · cy fforch (pronged tool) · zh цацар (eating utensil) · es palca (intersection) · te ఫోర్క్ (eating utensil) · crh sançqı (eating utensil) · str EQIYN (pronged tool) · da gaffel (eating utensil) · rap pātia kai (eating utensil) · pl widelec (eating utensil) · el δίστρατο (intersection) · cs odnož (computer science: copying and separately developing a project) · zh 捉雙 /捉双 (chess: simultaneous attack) · af vurk (eating utensil) · id garpu (eating utensil) · sh ви̏лица (eating utensil) · ar فرشيطة (eating utensil) · ga forc (eating utensil) · gun kuxa rakua (eating utensil) · dv އޫ (pronged tool) · gl bifurcación (intersection) · ms porok (eating utensil) · kl ajassaatit (pronged tool) · sl vílice (eating utensil) · lv dakša (pronged tool) · nl splitsing (intersection) · nl afsplitsing (computer science: splitting of a process) · tt чат (intersection) · yue 餐叉 (eating utensil) · gu કાંટો (eating utensil) · ru разви́лка (intersection) · ko 갈퀴 (pronged tool) · nb fremgaffel (bicycle or motorcycle fork) · ane fùrùsète (eating utensil) · nl gaffel (pronged tool) · as কাঁটাচামুচ (eating utensil) · zh цацазы (eating utensil) · de Fork (computer science: splitting of a process) · ro furculiță (eating utensil) · kmr çetel (eating utensil) · acm چطل (eating utensil) · et kahvel (chess: simultaneous attack) · yue(eating utensil) · lb Forschett (eating utensil) · uk виде́лка (eating utensil) · nrf frouque (pronged tool) · ce мӏара (eating utensil) · de Verzweigung (point where a waterway splits) · fr fourche (intersection) · bg ви́лка (eating utensil) · ckb چنگاڵ (eating utensil) · fi haarakohta (computer science: splitting of a process) · lus thirkut (eating utensil) · bg разклоне́ние (point where a waterway splits) · he מַזְלֵג (eating utensil) · sah бииккэ (eating utensil) · mk вилушка (eating utensil) · eo riverforko (point where a waterway splits) · it forcone (pronged tool) · et kahvel (eating utensil) · hy պատառաքաղ (eating utensil) · be відэ́лец (eating utensil) · scn furca (pronged tool) · krl šorpikku (eating utensil) · sh виле (pronged tool) · scn furca (computer science: splitting of a process) · nb forgreining (point where a waterway splits) · io forketo (eating utensil) · ca forquilla (eating utensil) · nb forgreining (intersection) · sv korsväg (figurative: point in time of making a decision) · fi haara (name of some river tributaries) · sv gaffel (eating utensil) · sq pirun (eating utensil) · sw uma (eating utensil) · ro bifurcație (intersection) · sv vägskäl (intersection) · lv dakša (bicycle or motorcycle fork) · la furca (eating utensil) · fa چَنْگَال (eating utensil) · hi काँटा m or कांटा (eating utensil) · de Gabel (pronged tool) · mt furketta (eating utensil) · nl splitsing (computer science: copying and separately developing a project) · ja フォーク (computer science: splitting of a process) · da fork (pronged tool) · bm furusɛti (eating utensil) · gl gallo (intersection) · ba сәнске (eating utensil) · hur sts'ó:qw'els (eating utensil) · et lahe (intersection) · pt bifurcação (computer science: a separately developed project based upon a copy of an existing project) · fi haara (point where a waterway splits) · nrf froutchie (intersection) · frr Furk (pronged tool) · et lahe (point where a waterway splits) · es trinchante (eating utensil) · fo gaffil (eating utensil) · ar شوكة (eating utensil) · sma tjåagkoe (eating utensil) · nb gaffel (pronged tool) · alt айрууш (pronged tool) · pt bifurcação (chess: simultaneous attack) · arq فرشيطة (eating utensil) · ca bifurcació (intersection) · kmr çatel (eating utensil) · zh(intersection) · ovd gaffel (eating utensil) · cy fforc (eating utensil) · cy gafl (pronged tool) · oj badaka'igan (eating utensil) · str XEQŦITEN (eating utensil) · fi haara (intersection) · fi talikko (pronged tool) · mi tīrou (pronged tool) · alt айрууш (eating utensil) · grc δίκελλα (pronged tool) · sq furkulicë (eating utensil) · da vejgaffel (intersection) · kl ajassaatit (eating utensil) · bg ви́лка (bicycle or motorcycle fork) · nv bílaʼ dį́įʼii (eating utensil) · fr fourche (point where a waterway splits) · nds Gavel (eating utensil) · mi tarahanga (intersection) · scn furca (computer science: copying and separately developing a project) · ms cukit (eating utensil) · ps پنجه (eating utensil) · la bivium (intersection) · lad piron (eating utensil) · sv förgrening (point where a waterway splits) · tli ách at dusxha át (eating utensil) · chr ᏴᎩ (eating utensil) · de Gabel (bicycle or motorcycle fork) · th ส้อม (eating utensil) · scn furchetta (eating utensil) · it esecuzione di una fork (computer science: splitting of a process) · zh 分叉 (computer science: copying and separately developing a project) · is gaffall (eating utensil) · hsb widlička (eating utensil) · bg ви́лица (eating utensil) · km សម (eating utensil) · mt furkettun (pronged tool) · sh вѝљушка (eating utensil) · scn bruccetta (eating utensil) · lv dakša (eating utensil) · mdh tinidul (eating utensil) · fr bifurcation (point where a waterway splits) · alt айырмууш (pronged tool) · et hark (pronged tool) · sh vȉlica (eating utensil) · lld furchëta (eating utensil) · aji wuuryèet (eating utensil) · eo forko (eating utensil) · alt айырмаш (eating utensil) · mr काटा (eating utensil) · frr goobel (pronged tool) · lt dvišakuma (chess: simultaneous attack) · gd gobhal (intersection) · ca enforcall (intersection) · rsk видлїчка (eating utensil) · it bivio (point where a waterway splits) · st fereko (pronged tool) · it ramificazione (one of the parts into which anything is furcated) · hu kettős támadás (chess: simultaneous attack) · da greb (pronged tool) · fi etuhaarukka (bicycle or motorcycle fork) · es trinche (pronged tool) · it diramazione (one of the parts into which anything is furcated) · gd forc (eating utensil) · es horca (pronged tool) · de Gabelung (point where a waterway splits) · bg разклоне́ние (intersection) · wuu(eating utensil) · fr fork (computer science: copying and separately developing a project) · str FOOC (eating utensil) · ru ви́лка (eating utensil) · scn furceḍḍa (bicycle or motorcycle fork) · hu vasvilla (pronged tool) · ja 分水 (point where a waterway splits) · ga gabhal (chess: simultaneous attack) · se gáffal (eating utensil) · sv framgaffel (bicycle or motorcycle fork) · sv gren (intersection) · rm fuorcha (bicycle or motorcycle fork) · fr fourche (bicycle or motorcycle fork) · kxd garpu (eating utensil) · bo ཀང་དྲ (eating utensil) · xal серә (eating utensil) · str TĆOŦEN (pronged tool) · nrf froutchie (point where a waterway splits) · pa ਕਾਂਟਾ (eating utensil) · ru ви́лы (pronged tool) · tr çatal (eating utensil) · gd gobhal (point where a waterway splits) · tk wilka (eating utensil) · pdt Gaufel (pronged tool) · an forqueta (eating utensil) · lb Gafel (pronged tool) · it tributario (name of some river tributaries) · fr fourchette (chess: simultaneous attack) · es trinche (eating utensil) · lv atzarojums (intersection) · pt bifurcação (intersection) · ja フォーク (eating utensil) · pt garfo (eating utensil) · fi haarukka (blades of a forklift) · cy ffyrc (pronged tool) · da høtyv (pronged tool) · sv gren (point where a waterway splits) · is gaffall (chess: simultaneous attack) · id garpu (pronged tool) · fi haarukka (eating utensil) · scn biviu (intersection) · af vurk (pronged tool) · el δίχαλο (point where a waterway splits) · hur st'éx̱ (intersection) · scn fork (computer science: splitting of a process) · uz sanchqi (eating utensil) · rgn furchèta (pronged tool) · nb gaffel (eating utensil) · gun kuxa rakua (pronged tool) · ro furcă (pronged tool) · za ca (eating utensil) · fr embranchement (computer science: a separately developed project based upon a copy of an existing project) · uk розви́лка (intersection) · pt forcado (pronged tool) · ru рука́в (name of some river tributaries) · es pinche (eating utensil) · pt bifurcação (point where a waterway splits) · fur piron (eating utensil) · tg чангча (eating utensil) · wa fortchete (eating utensil) · nl fork (computer science: splitting of a process) · fi tienhaara (intersection) · pt fork (computer science: a separately developed project based upon a copy of an existing project) · kw forgh (pronged tool) · pl rozwidlenie (intersection) · ckb چەتاڵ (eating utensil) · esu uil'kaq (eating utensil) · cho chufak isht impa (eating utensil) · fr fourche (pronged tool) · fi haarukka (chess: simultaneous attack) · rm fuortga (bicycle or motorcycle fork) · li versjèt (eating utensil) · it forcella (bicycle or motorcycle fork) · es horqueta (intersection) · fi forkkaus (computer science: copying and separately developing a project) · ug ۋىلكا (eating utensil) · nrf froutchie (bicycle or motorcycle fork) · gd greimire (eating utensil) · ko 갈림길 (intersection) · lv dakšiņa (eating utensil) · crh şatal (eating utensil) · fi forkki (computer science: copying and separately developing a project) · af tuinvurk (pronged tool) · de Forke (pronged tool) · ar مِذْرَاة (eating utensil) · ga gabhal (bicycle or motorcycle fork) · nl vork (point where a waterway splits) · eo kanalforko (point where a waterway splits) · vo fok (eating utensil) · str J₭ELSTEN (pronged tool) · fi joenhaara (point where a waterway splits) · de Fork (computer science: copying and separately developing a project) · es tenedor (eating utensil) · lt šakutė (eating utensil) · ota چاتال (eating utensil) · ms garpu (eating utensil) · de Gable (pronged tool) · cy fforch (eating utensil) · sh viljuška (pronged tool) · mwl garfo (eating utensil) · aii ܡܲܫܠܝܘܿܢܵܐ (eating utensil) · ar شوكة (eating utensil) · tr maşa (bicycle or motorcycle fork) · scn broccia (eating utensil) · ia furca (pronged tool) · bh कांटा (eating utensil) · ar شَوْكَة (eating utensil) · lo ສ້ອມ (eating utensil) · it immissario (name of some river tributaries) · or କଣ୍ଟା (eating utensil) · mk вила (pronged tool) · tr yaba (pronged tool) · la furca (pronged tool) · uz vilka (eating utensil) · ka ჩანგალი (eating utensil) · ja ピッチフォーク (pronged tool) · ast tenedor (eating utensil) · eo vojforko (intersection) · rm savetscha (eating utensil) · sah биилкэ (eating utensil) · sv grep (pronged tool) · ca forqueta (pronged tool) · lt šakės (pronged tool) · mr फोर्क (computer science: copying and separately developing a project) · rm furchetta (eating utensil) · rif tazzart (pronged tool) · ti ፋርኬታ (eating utensil) · fa چَنْگال (eating utensil) · ca forqueta (eating utensil) · sv vägskäl (figurative: point in time of making a decision) · eo fluforko (point where a waterway splits) · fr fourchette (eating utensil) · rm stgagna (eating utensil) · dsb widlicki (eating utensil) · el πιρούνι (eating utensil) · rup pirunã (eating utensil) · es horquilla (bicycle or motorcycle fork) · oc forqueta (eating utensil) · be ві́лы (pronged tool) · uk ви́ла (pronged tool) · frr Gaawel (pronged tool) · fa چَنْگَال (pronged tool) · am ቩካ (eating utensil) · rm furtga (bicycle or motorcycle fork) · zh 餐叉 (eating utensil) · de Abspaltung (computer science: a separately developed project based upon a copy of an existing project) · de Verzweigung (intersection)

fork en · VERB · etymology 1

Pronunciation

  • (General-American) audio
  • (Received-Pronunciation) audio
  • /fɔːk/ (Received-Pronunciation)
  • /fɔɹk/ (General-American)
  • [fo̞ɹk] (General-American)
  • /fo(ː)ɹk/ without the horse–hoarse merger, rhotic

Etymology

From Middle English forke (“digging fork”), from Old English force, forca (“forked instrument used to torture”), from Proto-West Germanic *furkō (“fork”), from Latin furca (“pitchfork, forked stake; gallows, beam, stake, support post, yoke”), of uncertain origin. The Middle English word was later reinforced by Anglo-Norman, Old Northern French forque (= Old French forche whence French fourche), also from the Latin. Doublet of fourche and furcate. Cognate also with North Frisian forck (“fork”), Dutch vork (“fork”), Danish fork (“fork”), German Forke (“pitchfork”). Displaced native gafol, ġeafel, ġeafle (“fork”), from Old English. In its primary sense of “fork”, Latin furca appears to be derived from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰerk(ʷ)-, *ǵʰerg(ʷ)- (“fork”), although the development of the -c- is difficult to explain. In other senses this derivation is unlikely. For these, perhaps it is connected to Proto-Germanic *furkaz, *firkalaz (“stake, stick, pole, post”), from Proto-Indo-European *perg- (“pole, post”). If so, this would relate the word to Old English forclas pl (“bolt”), Old Saxon ferkal (“lock, bolt, bar”), Old Norse forkr (“pole, staff, stick”), Norwegian fork (“stick, bat”), Swedish fork (“pole”).

Meanings

  1. (ambitransitive) To divide into two or more branches or copies.
    • A road, a tree, or a stream forks.
  2. (ambitransitive) To divide into two or more branches or copies. ▸ To spawn a new child process by duplicating the existing process.
    • It appears that the shell forks a copy of itself and that this copy then forks to make each of the previous processes in the pipeline. 2013, W. Richard Stevens, Stephen A. Rago, Advanced Programming in the UNIX Environment, 3rd edition, Addison-Wesley, →ISBN, page 304:
    • A parent process forks a child process, which in turn can fork other processes. 2008, Mark G. Sobell, A Practical Guide to Fedora and Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Pearson Education, →ISBN:
  3. (ambitransitive) To divide into two or more branches or copies. ▸ To launch a separate software development effort based upon a modified copy of an existing software project, especially in free and open-source software.
    • For various reasons, McCool's server project subsequently forked, leading to the development of the Apache Web Server. 2007, Fadi P. Deek, James A. M. McHugh, Open Source: Technology and Policy, Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, page 21:
    • Google forked WebKit to create the Blink project in April 2013 because they wanted to make larger-scale changes to WebKit to fit their own needs that did not align well with the WebKit project itself. 2015, Christian Bird et al., editors, The Art and Science of Analyzing Software Data, Elsevier, →ISBN, page 77:
  4. (ambitransitive, transitive) To divide into two or more branches or copies. ▸ To create a copy of a distributed version control repository.
    • In this model, anyone can fork an existing repository and push changes to their personal fork. 2015, Sajal Debnath, Mastering PowerCLI, Packt Publishing Ltd, →ISBN, page 27:
  5. (transitive) To move with a fork (as hay or food).
    • Brianna curbed her pang of envy as she forked her plain, low-fat, crouton-free salad niçoise into her mouth and shook her head. 2018, Maya Blake, chapter 2, in What the Greek's Money Can't Buy (Greek Bachelors), HarperCollins UK, →ISBN:
    • forking the sheaves on the high-laden cart 1844, John Wilson, Essay on the Genius, and Character of Burns:
  6. (transitive) To apply a fork to.
    • forking the soil
    • They delight in combing, or rather forking it, using for that purpose a large wooden fork with four diverging prongs, which answers the purpose of separating and arranging the long tangled, frizzly mass of cranial vegetation much better than any comb could do. 1869, Alfred Russel Wallace, The Malay Archipelago, volume II, London: Macmillan and Co., page 254:
  7. (UK, transitive) To kick someone in the crotch.
  8. (intransitive) To shoot into blades, as corn does.
    • I have known them couched up a Yard thick cover’d with an Hair-cloth and ſtirred only once a day, the Maltſer being always careful to throw the frozen outſides into the middle till the Corn begin to fork and warm in the Couch; after which time if it be not laid too thin, it will not eaſily freeze. 1707, J[ohn] Mortimer, The Whole Art of Husbandry; or, The Way of Managing and Improving of Land. […], London: […] J[ohn] H[umphreys] for H[enry] Mortlock […], and J[onathan] Robinson […], →OCLC:
  9. To simultaneously attack two opposing pieces with a single attacking piece.
  10. (euphemistic, form-of, transitive) Euphemistic form of fuck.
    form of fuck
    • They were forking each other in the back room.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
forking Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
forked Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
forked Tense=Past lexicographic
forks Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic

Deriveds

fork bomb (computer science: spawn a new child process) · stick a fork in something · dig one's grave with a fork and spoon · fork over · fork out · fork off · dig one's grave with a fork

Relateds

spoon · knife

Translations (44)

cs házet vidlemi (to move with fork) · nl met een vork eten (to move with fork) · cs přeházet vidlemi (to move with fork) · zh 分叉 (computer science: to copy and separately develop a software project) · it dare un calcio alle parti basse (to kick someone in the crotch) · ga píceáil (to move with fork) · fi haarautua (to divide into two or more branches) · nl afsplitsen (computer science: to copy and separately develop a software project) · de sich gabeln (to divide into two or more branches) · fi versoa (to shoot into blades, as corn) · fi potkaista haaroihin (to kick someone in the crotch) · sk rozvetviť sa (to divide into two or more branches) · ca bifurcar (computer science: to spawn a new child process) · de spalten (computer science: to spawn a new child process) · de aufspalten (computer science: to spawn a new child process) · cs nabrat vidličkou (to move with fork) · cs rozbíhat se (to divide into two or more branches) · cs rozvětvovat se (to divide into two or more branches) · lv sazaroties (to divide into two or more branches) · es bifurcarse (to divide into two or more branches) · sk rozdvojiť sa (to divide into two or more branches) · it biforcare (to divide into two or more branches) · de gabeln (to move with fork) · fi forkata (computer science: to spawn a new child process) · sk rozdeliť sa (to divide into two or more branches) · ca bifurcar-se (to divide into two or more branches) · fi talikoida (to move with fork) · de gabeln (computer science: to spawn a new child process) · de spalten (computer science: to copy and separately develop a software project) · da gafle (to move with fork) · de aufspalten (computer science: to copy and separately develop a software project) · nl prikken (to move with fork) · nl afsplitsen (computer science: to spawn a new child process) · cs rozdvojovat se (to divide into two or more branches) · it inforcare (to move with fork) · ar تَفَرَّعَ (to divide into two or more branches) · de aufgabeln (to move with fork) · fi haarukoida (to move with fork) · nl forken (computer science: to spawn a new child process) · bg разклонявам (computer science: to spawn a new child process) · pl rozwidlać się (to divide into two or more branches) · pl rozwidlić się (to divide into two or more branches) · ar تَشَعَّبَ (to divide into two or more branches) · cs rozdělovat se (to divide into two or more branches)

fork en · NOUN · etymology 2

Pronunciation

  • (General-American) audio
  • (Received-Pronunciation) audio
  • /fɔːk/ (Received-Pronunciation)
  • /fɔɹk/ (General-American)
  • [fo̞ɹk] (General-American)
  • /fo(ː)ɹk/ without the horse–hoarse merger, rhotic

Etymology

Ultimately from Etymology 1, above, through use for various things with two or more branches. Attested in this sense from the 18th century.

Meanings

  1. The bottom of a sump into which the water of a mine drains.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
forcque alternative lexicographic
forks Number=Plur lexicographic

fork en · VERB · etymology 2

Pronunciation

  • (General-American) audio
  • (Received-Pronunciation) audio
  • /fɔːk/ (Received-Pronunciation)
  • /fɔɹk/ (General-American)
  • [fo̞ɹk] (General-American)
  • /fo(ː)ɹk/ without the horse–hoarse merger, rhotic

Etymology

Ultimately from Etymology 1, above, through use for various things with two or more branches. Attested in this sense from the 18th century.

Meanings

  1. (transitive) To bale a shaft dry.
    • Forking the water, is drawing it all out; and when it is done, they say, “the mine or the water is forked;” and “the engine is in fork.” 1836 [1808], Richard Polwhele, A Cornish English Vocabulary:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
forking Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
forked Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
forked Tense=Past lexicographic
forks Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
forcque alternative lexicographic