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REFERENCE

pitch

n. · v.
US //ˈpɪtʃ// UK //pˈɪtʃ// pitch
  1. 1 sports field (n.)
    B1 Intermediate British English Sport

    the area of grass where you play sports like football, rugby, or cricket.

    the designated playing area for certain field sports, particularly association football, rugby, and cricket.

    Example

    The players ran onto the pitch as the crowd started to cheer.

    Example

    Heavy rainfall overnight left the pitch waterlogged, forcing the referee to postpone the match for safety reasons.

    Usage

    Commonly used in British English; American English speakers prefer 'field'.
  2. 2 sound frequency (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Music

    how high or low a sound or musical note is.

    the perceived frequency of a sound or musical note, determined by the speed of vibrations.

    Example

    She has a very high pitch to her voice when she is excited.

    Example

    The singer struggled to maintain the correct pitch during the bridge of the song, occasionally sliding into a flat tone.
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  1. 3 sales talk (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a speech or talk designed to persuade someone to buy or do something.

    a persuasive speech or presentation aimed at selling a product or promoting an idea.

    Example

    The entrepreneur gave a five-minute pitch to the investors to get funding.

    Example

    After weeks of preparation, the marketing team delivered a flawless pitch that secured the multi-million dollar contract.
  2. 4 sticky substance (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical

    a thick, black, sticky substance made from tar or tree sap.

    a dark, extremely viscous or solid substance obtained from the distillation of tar or the sap of certain trees.

    Example

    The boat's wooden planks were sealed with pitch to keep the water out.

    Example

    Historically, pitch was an essential commodity in shipbuilding for caulking seams and protecting timber from rot.
  3. 5 to throw (v.)
    B1 Intermediate Sport

    to throw something, especially a ball in a game of baseball.

    to throw or toss an object; specifically, to deliver a ball to a batter in baseball.

    Example

    The player pitched the ball so fast that the batter couldn't hit it.

    Example

    The star athlete pitched seven scoreless innings before being replaced by a relief bowler in the eighth.
  4. 6 to set up (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to put up a tent or a temporary shelter.

    to erect or assemble a tent or similar temporary structure.

    Example

    We found a flat piece of ground and pitched our tent before it got dark.

    Example

    The hikers decided to pitch camp near the stream, ensuring they had a reliable water source for the night.
  5. 7 to tilt or rock (v.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Nautical

    to move up and down, like a ship in rough water or an airplane.

    to move with a plunging or oscillating motion about a transverse axis, typical of ships or aircraft.

    Example

    The small boat began to pitch violently as the storm grew stronger.

    Example

    The aircraft began to pitch and roll as it entered the zone of severe turbulence, causing concern among the passengers.
  6. 8 to target an audience (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to aim a story, speech, or product at a particular group of people.

    to set or adjust the tone, level, or style of a communication for a specific audience.

    Example

    The book is pitched at teenagers who enjoy science fiction.

    Example

    The professor pitched her lecture at a level that was accessible to undergraduates while still providing depth for the graduate students present.
Etymology 1

From Middle English picche, piche, pich, from Old English piċ, from Proto-West Germanic *pik, from Latin pix. Cognate with Ancient Greek πίσσα (píssa, “pitch, tar”), Latin pīnus (“pine”). More at pine. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Pik (“pitch, tar”), Dutch pek (“pitch, tar”), German Low German Pick (“pitch, tar”), German Pech (“pitch, tar”), Catalan pega (“pitch”), Spanish pegar (“to stick, glue”), Franco-Provençal pouatche (“sap from a pine”) and French poix (“sap”). The adjective is probably back-formed from pitch-black, reinterpreting "pitch" as meaning "intense(ly)".

Etymology 2

From Middle English picchen, pycchen (“to thrust in, fasten, settle”), from Old English piċċan, from Proto-West Germanic pikkijan, a variant of Proto-West Germanic *pikkōn (“to pick, peck”), whence Middle English pikken, picken (“to pick, pierce”), modern English pick.

Etymology 3

Unknown. Perhaps from the above sense of "inclination", "level", or "degree", or influenced by it.

Word family
Idioms4 entries

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