fork over, to
fork over
To physically give someone something, often reluctantly. A noun or pronoun can be used between "fork" and "over." If you want the most cutting edge technology, you'd better be prepared to fork over the dough for it. Fork over your lunch money, dweeb.
See also: fork, over
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
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!
See also: fork, over
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
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]
See also: fork, over
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
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.
See also: fork, over
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.
fork over, to
To pay up, to hand over. This slangy term probably comes from the verb “to fork,” underground slang for picking someone’s pocket using only two fingers (resembling a two-tined fork). Dating from the first half of the 1800s, the term occasionally alluded to turning over something other than money, but it is the monetary version that survived. It also is put as an imperative, “Fork it over!” According to an article in Fortune by Rob Norton, it is one of the many clichés particularly favored by business journalists (Jan. 13, 1997).
See also: fork
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
- arrange for
- arrange for some time
- arrange some music for
- not do (someone or oneself) any favors
- rescue from
- rescue from (someone or something)
- identify with
- attune to
- ask back
- orient to (something)