To fork out, or over (sometimes abbreviated to fork). Verb. phr.
(common).—To hand over; to pay; to shell out (q.v.).
1830. Lytton, Paul Clifford, ch. xxxi. The person fork him out ten
shiners.
1836. Dickens, Sketches by Boz, p. 84. His active mind at once
perceived how much might be done in the way of ... shoving the old
and helpless into the wrong buss, and carrying them off ... till
they was rig’larly done over, and forked out the stumpy.
1837. Barham, I. L., The Execution. He Pulls up at the door of a
gin-shop, and gaily Cries, ‘What must I fork out to night, my
trump, For the whole first-floor of the Magpie and Stump?’
1840. Comic Almanack. ‘Tom the Devil,’ p. 214. ‘That’s a nate way
of doin’ business, sure enough,’ was the commentary; ‘ounly I can’t
larn the sinse of going to a private lodging, where, if you ordher
a kidney for breakfast, you’re expected to fork out to the
butcher.’
1852. H. B. Stowe, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, ch. viii. You’ve got to fork
over fifty dollars, flat down, or this child don’t start a peg.
1864. Dickens, Our Mutual Friend, Bk. III., ch. i. ‘Now,’ said
Fledgeby, ‘fork out your balance in hand, and prove by figures how
you make it out that it ain’t more.’
1867. Albany Argus, 5 Sept. Now, sir, you will please fork over
that money to me, and pay your bill, or I’ll have the law out of
you, as sure as you are born.
1887. Lippincott’s Magazine, Aug., p. 199. Just calculate my
percentage of our liabilities, and allow me to fork over.
1888. Detroit Free Press, 9 Sept. The dozen screw-drivers came up
C. O. D. and he had to fork over for them.
To fork on, verb. phr. (American).—To appropriate. Cf., To freeze on
to.
To pitch the fork, verb. phr. (popular).—To tell a pitiful tale.
To eat vinegar with a fork, verb. phr. (common).—A person either
over-shrewd or over-snappish is said to have eaten vinegar with a fork.
Fr., Avoir mangé de l’oseille. See Nettle.
Forker, subs. (nautical).—A dockyard thief or fence (q.v.). [From fork
= to steal + er.]
Forking, subs. (thieves’).—1. Thieving. See Fork.