noun

1. an instrument of greatly varying size with a handle at one end and two or more pointed prongs at the other: forks are variously used as eating utensils and for pitching hay, breaking up soil, etc.
2. something resembling a fork in shape tuning fork
3. a division into branches; bifurcation
4. ☆ the point where a river, road, etc. is divided into two or more branches, or where branches join to form a river, road, etc.
5. any of these branches

Etymology: ME forke < OE forca & Anglo-Fr forque (Fr fourche), both < L furca, two-pronged fork

intransitive verb

transitive verb

1. to make into the shape of a fork
2. to pick up, spear, or pitch with a fork
3. Chess to attack (two chessmen) simultaneously with a single chessman