Definition of fork out

The expression "fork out" is a British English idiom that refers to paying for something, especially a sum of money. The origin of this phrase can be traced back to the 17th century when people used forks mainly for eating, and not as a utensil for serving food as is the case today. At that time, serving food was done using large spoons, and the meat was typically placed on a common dish called a "bason" or "salver." Each person would use their spoon to scoop a portion of the food onto their plate. For this reason, having a fork of your own was seen as a luxury. Wealthy people, who could afford silver or gold cutlery, would sometimes decorate their forks with intricate designs or precious stones. These ornate forks became a symbol of social status, and as a result, the cost of a set of silver forks would be quite high. In the 19th century, as cutlery production methods improved, forks became more affordable and commonplace. Nevertheless, the image of expensive, decorative forks remained, and the term "fork out," originally used in the context of spending money on forks, came to mean spending money on any luxury item. In England, the term "fork out" has also been associated with digging or sifting, probably due to the image of a farmhand, "furrowing a field" with a fork, followed by sifting the earth. But this broader usage has been largely confined to British English, where it still has currency, especially in the context of construction and building work. In other English-speaking countries, "fork out" is restricted to the meaning of paying for something, and that is the only way that many people encounter the expression today. In summary, the origin of the expression "fork out" can be traced back to the symbolic value attached to ornate forks, which were expensive and associated with social status, and over time, the term has evolved to mean paying for any luxury item.