- a farm tool with a long handle and two sharp metal prongs, used especially for lifting hay干草叉。
with obj. and adverbial of direction
1- lift with a pitchfork.（用干草叉）叉起。
1.1
- figurative thrust (someone) suddenly into an unexpected and difficult situation〈喻〉（突然）把…推入（未预料到的、困难的处境中）。
词源
late Middle English: from earlier pickfork, influenced by the verb PITCH1 （because the tool is used for 'pitching'or throwing sheaves on to a stack）.