fork
fork
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "fork" is /fɔːrk/.
Here's a breakdown of the sounds by syllable:
fork: /fɔːrk/
/f/ - voiceless labiodental fricative
/ɔː/ - open-mid back rounded vowel (as in "thought")
/r/ - voiced alveolar approximant
/k/ - voiceless velar plosive
Word Form Variations
Singular Noun: fork
Plural Noun: forks
Third-person singular present tense verb: forks
Present participle verb: forking
Past tense verb: forked
Past participle verb: forked
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition 1: An eating utensil consisting of a handle and two or more prongs, used for lifting food to the mouth or holding it while cutting.
Synonyms: utensil, trident (for a three-pronged one), pick
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms for a specific utensil)
Definition 2: A point where something, such as a road, river, or tree branch, divides into two or more parts.
Synonyms: divergence, junction, split, branch, bifurcation
Antonyms: convergence, confluence (for rivers), main (as in main road)
Definition 3: A tool with a long handle and several prongs, used for lifting, digging, or tossing, especially in gardening or agriculture.
Synonyms: pitchfork, garden fork, digging fork
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms for a specific tool)
Verb
Definition 1: To divide into two or more branches or directions.
Synonyms: diverge, branch, split, bifurcate
Antonyms: merge, converge, join
Definition 2: To lift, move, or impale something with a fork.
Synonyms: spear, pierce, stab, pitch
Antonyms: drop, release
Examples of Use
Books: "He pushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear and then reached for his fork, spearing a piece of roast chicken." (From The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi, May 2019)
Newspapers: "Drivers are advised to exercise caution at the fork in the road leading to the new bypass." (The Daily Chronicle, July 2024)
Online Publications: "In an illuminating piece on cybersecurity, the author explains how hackers can 'fork' open-source code to create malicious new versions." (TechCrunch, April 2023)
Entertainment Mediums (Film): In the movie The Matrix Reloaded (May 2003), the Oracle famously tells Neo, "You have to make a choice. On one hand, you have the path that leads to the source. On the other, the path that leads to the other. You will have to fork."
Entertainment Platforms (Video Games): In the popular video game Stardew Valley, players can often find themselves at a fork in a cave system, needing to decide which path to take to find resources or progress.
General Public Discourse: "When you get to the old oak tree, the path will fork – take the left one." (Heard in a conversation between hikers, June 2025)
General Public Discourse: "Could you please pass me a fork? This cake is too rich to eat with my fingers." (Heard at a dinner party, January 2025)
Online Publication (Culinary Blog): "To achieve perfectly flaky pastry, gently fork the butter into the flour until just combined." (Smitten Kitchen, February 2024)
10 Quotes Using Fork
"When you come to a fork in the road, take it." (Yogi Berra)
"Every man's life is a road. It's a long road, but it's not a straight one. There are turns and twists and forks in the road, and sometimes you have to choose." (Louis L'Amour, The Walking Drum)
"I came to a fork in the road. And I didn't know which way to go. So I asked the universe. And the universe said, 'Go this way!'" (Oprah Winfrey)
"Life is a fork in the road. You can go left or right. You can choose to be happy or choose to be sad. It's your choice." (Mandy Hale)
"A poem should not mean / But be. / It should not fork / But feel." (Archibald MacLeish, "Ars Poetica")
"He who does not understand your silence will probably not understand your words. You are at a fork in the road." (Elbert Hubbard)
"I think there is always a fork in the road for a writer. You can either stay in your own little world, or you can open up and let the world in." (Ayelet Waldman)
"Every human being has a fork in the road where they have to decide who they are going to be." (Tyler Perry)
"The way of life is a fork in the road, leading to two destinations: to a place of happiness or to a place of sorrow." (Lailah Gifty Akita)
"If you come to a fork in the road and you're not sure which way to go, you can always just sit down and think about it." (Winnie the Pooh, as quoted in some adaptations)
Etymology
The word "fork" has a pretty straightforward history that goes back a long way!
It comes from the Latin word "furca," which meant a two-pronged implement – think of something like a pitchfork or a digging tool. This Latin "furca" was used for things like propping up vines or forked sticks.
The first known use of "fork" in English dates back to around the 10th century. At that time, its primary meaning was exactly what that Latin "furca" described: a two-pronged implement or a forked stick. So, it was originally used to describe tools for agricultural work or simple natural objects that split into two. It took a few more centuries before it became commonly used to refer to the eating utensil we know today.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Fork
Fork in the road: A point in a path, decision, or situation where a choice must be made between two or more alternatives.
Fork over: To hand over or give something, often money, reluctantly or under duress.
Fork out: Similar to "fork over," meaning to pay a sum of money, often a large or unwelcome amount.
To fork something up: To lift or move something with a fork, especially in gardening or agriculture.
To fork a file/repository (computing): To create a copy of a software project's source code to develop independently.
Stick a fork in it: An idiom used to declare something finished or beyond repair, especially food that is cooked through.
Put a fork in it: (Same as "stick a fork in it")
To fork one's tongue: (Less common, but implies speaking deceptively or with a double meaning, derived from a snake's forked tongue)
To fork off: To branch or split away from a main path or group.
A tuning fork: A two-pronged steel device that, when struck, vibrates at a specific pitch, used for tuning musical instruments.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of fork from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
