forky

English

Etymology

From fork +‎ -y.

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)ki

Adjective

forky (comparative forkier or more forky, superlative forkiest or most forky)

1. Synonym of forked
   • 1669, John Baptiſta Porta, chapter V, in Natural Magick‎^[1], The Third Book Of Natural Magick: […] , page 68:

     […] for hungry birds have devoured ſeeds, and having moiſtened and warmed them in their bellies, a little after have dunged in the forky twiſtes of Trees, and together with their dung excluded the ſeed whole which erſt they had ſwallowed: and ſometimes it brings forth there where they dung it, […]

   • 1764, John Hill, The Vegetable System. Or, The Internal Structure And The Life Of Plants; […] ‎^[2], volume 7, page 32:

     The Leaves are compoſed each of ſeven parts; the Flowers grow by two's on forky Footſtalks.

   • 1857, Abigail Stanley Hanna, Withered Leaves from Memory's Garland‎^[3]:

     The forky lightning flashed, and the deep toned thunder reverberated peal on peal, while the shrieking winds rocked the tree tops, and poured their wild melody upon the ear.

   • 1896, Captain Frederick Marryat, The Phantom Ship‎^[4]:

     The column of fire now ascended above the main-top—licking with its forky tongue the top-mast rigging—and embracing the mainmast in its folds: […]

   • 1921, Various, The Red Romance Book‎^[5]:

     At the sight of the young man it lashed its tail so violently that the earth trembled as if with an earthquake, while its forky tongue darted in and out with a deafening hissing noise.

Derived terms

• forkiness