Idiom
stick a fork in something
Meaning
Used to indicate that something or someone is finished, or, in a broader sense, defeated or ruined.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Examples
“The game is over, so stick a fork in it.”
“I am exhausted after this long run, so stick a fork in me.”
“This broken washing machine is beyond repair, so stick a fork in it.”
“After the company lost its biggest client, the manager knew it was time to stick a fork in the project.”
“My old laptop just made a loud clicking sound and the screen went black, so I think we can stick a fork in it.”
“The chef burned the main course five minutes before the party started, so he had to stick a fork in the original menu.”
“The candidate's poll numbers dropped so low after the scandal that her advisors told her it was time to stick a fork in the campaign.”
“Once the final evidence was presented in court, the defense attorney realized the case was hopeless and decided to stick a fork in it.”
Examples
simple
“The game is over, so stick a fork in it.”
“I am exhausted after this long run, so stick a fork in me.”
“This broken washing machine is beyond repair, so stick a fork in it.”
contextual
“After the company lost its biggest client, the manager knew it was time to stick a fork in the project.”
“My old laptop just made a loud clicking sound and the screen went black, so I think we can stick a fork in it.”
“The chef burned the main course five minutes before the party started, so he had to stick a fork in the original menu.”
“The candidate's poll numbers dropped so low after the scandal that her advisors told her it was time to stick a fork in the campaign.”
complex
“Once the final evidence was presented in court, the defense attorney realized the case was hopeless and decided to stick a fork in it.”
Origin
From the culinary practice of piercing a piece of meat with a fork to determine whether it is cooked. The physical resistance or tenderness encountered by the utensil indicates the status of the meal, signaling that the process has reached its conclusion.
Key words
Related idioms
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