# fork over

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/fork-over
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

to give someone money or a thing when you are not happy about doing it. You use this when you feel you have no choice but to pay.

For teachers: To hand over or pay something, typically money, especially with reluctance or under pressure. The verb is transitive and allows for object placement between the base and the particle.

## Examples

- I had to fork over twenty dollars for the lost key.
- The landlord demanded that we fork over the security deposit before we even saw the apartment.
- Despite their initial protests, the insurance company was eventually forced to fork over the full settlement amount to the policyholders.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I didn't want to fork over it." but "I didn't want to fork it over." — When the object is a pronoun, it must be placed between the verb and the particle.

## Usage notes

- This phrase is informal and almost always refers to money or valuable items.
- Teaching tip: This is a great example of a 'reluctant payment' phrasal verb; compare it with 'shell out' and 'cough up' to show different levels of informality.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.