# fork

/ˈfɔɹk/ (US) · /fˈɔːk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/fork
Updated: 2026-07-19

## Senses

### 1. eating tool

noun · CEFR A2

a small tool with three or four points that you use to pick up and eat food.

For teachers: a handheld utensil with two or more prongs used for lifting or holding food while eating or cooking.

- She used a fork to eat her salad because the lettuce was hard to pick up with a spoon.
- The formal table setting included a specific fork for the fish course, placed to the left of the main dinner fork.

### 2. split in a road

noun · CEFR B1

a place where a road, path, or river divides into two or more parts.

For teachers: a bifurcation or point of divergence in a road, river, or other linear path.

- When you reach the fork in the road, stay to the left to find the village.
- The hikers paused at the fork in the trail, consulting their map to ensure they chose the path leading toward the summit rather than the valley.

### 3. software branch

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a new version of a computer program that is created by copying the original code and changing it.

For teachers: a divergent project or version of a software package created by copying the source code and developing it independently.

- The developers decided to create a fork of the app to test some experimental new features.
- The community-led fork of the operating system eventually became more popular than the original version due to its frequent security updates.

### 4. chess move

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a move in chess where one piece attacks two of the opponent's pieces at the same time.

For teachers: a tactical maneuver in which a single piece simultaneously attacks two or more of the opponent's pieces.

- He won the game by using his knight to create a fork on the king and the queen.
- The grandmaster executed a brilliant knight fork, forcing the opponent to sacrifice a rook to save the queen.

### 5. to split

verb · CEFR B2

to divide into two or more different directions.

For teachers: to divide or separate into two or more branches or paths.

- The river forks just past the bridge, with one branch flowing toward the sea.
- The main highway forks several miles ahead, providing access to both the industrial district and the residential suburbs.

### 6. to move with a tool

verb · CEFR B2

to lift or move something using a large fork, like moving hay on a farm.

For teachers: to lift, move, or toss material using a pitchfork or similar pronged tool.

- The farmer spent the afternoon forking hay into the back of the truck.
- The gardener carefully forked the compost into the soil to improve the nutrient levels before planting the spring vegetables.

## Examples

- I need a knife and fork.
- Please set the table with a knife, fork, and spoon for each guest.
- The formal dinner setting required not only a standard dinner fork but also a smaller, more delicate salad fork placed to its left.

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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.