- Home
- Idioms
- fork
fork
fork out the dough
To pay, generally unwillingly, a certain amount of money. If you want the most cutting edge technology, you'd better be prepared to fork out the dough for it. Listen, fork out the dough or you'll never see your husband again!
fork over the dough
To pay, generally unwillingly, a certain amount of money. If you want the most cutting edge technology, you'd better be prepared to fork over the dough for it. Listen, fork over the dough or you'll never see your husband again!
stick a fork in (me/it/something)
A phrase used to indicate that one or something is finished, complete, or no longer able to continue. Alludes to the practice of testing how thoroughly a piece of meat is cooked by piercing it with a fork. Barbara: "Johnny, would you like any more of this cake?" Johnny: "No thank you, Barb. You can stick a fork in me, I'm done!" I'd say we just need one more week on the project, and then you'll be able to stick a fork in it!
fork the fingers
To give a rude gesture with one's hand. This phrase is rarely heard today. I told you, it was an honest mistake, so don't fork the fingers at me!
play a good knife and fork
To eat vigorously. My, you're playing a good knife and fork tonight—you must be hungry!
Fingers were made before forks.
Prov. It is all right to eat with one's fingers because people had to eat somehow before there were forks. (Used to justify eating something with your fingers.) Mother: Put that chicken wing back on your plate and eat it properly, with a knife and fork. Child: But Mom, fingers were made before forks. I don't see why it's considered bad manners to eat with your fingers. Fingers were made before forks.
fork some money out (for something)
Fig. to pay (perhaps unwillingly) for something. (Often mention is made of the amount of money. See the examples.) Do you think I'm going to fork twenty dollars out for that book? Forking out lots of money for taxes is part of life.
fork something out
(to someone) 1. Inf. Lit. to serve food to someone, using a fork. He forked out the chicken to everyone. He brought up a big dish of fried chicken and forked it out.
2. Fig. to give out something to someone. We forked the coupons out to everyone who asked for them. We forked out the coupons.
fork something over (to someone)
Inf. to give something to someone. (Usually refers to money.) Come on! Fork the money over to me! Fork over the cash you owe me!
fork over something
also fork something over1. to pay money
We headed into the theme park after forking over $45 each. Related vocabulary:
cough up something 2. to give something to someone unwillingly The cops knew he had a knife, and they made him fork it over.
fork over
Also, fork out or up . Hand over, pay up. For example, It's time you forked over what you owe, or He forked out a hundred for that meal, or Fork up or we'll sue. [Slang; early 1800s]
fork out
v.1. To distribute or supply something, especially money: The government forks out millions of dollars to maintain the royal palace. The town finally forked the cash out for a new high school.
2. To split or diverge; fork: The river forks out in numerous places in the delta.
fork over
or fork upv. To give or transfer something, especially in a reluctant, unenthusiastic, or automatic way: I thought the rug was overpriced, but I forked the cash over. We forked over our admission tickets to the usher and walked into the theater.
fork something over
tv. to hand something over (to someone). Okay, fork over the dough and be quick about it!
Fork you!
exclam. Fuck you! (A partial disguise. Rude and derogatory.) Fork you, you stupid twit!