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Glite Dictionary
to fork over

to fork over

15 6.1
To give money to someone after they ask or force you
  • phrasal verb
  • /fɔrk ˈoʊvər/
  • Informal
translation icon : soltar (informal)
  • She had to fork over a large sum of money to settle the debt.
  • fork over money
  • fork over cash
  • fork over millions

Examples

  • There are those who want me to fork over my cash so they can enjoy themselves.

    Blog text (9)

  • Okay Wally, fork over five bucks.

    Neon Maniacs (1986)

  • I fork over, and what do you do?

    What's the Worst That Could Happen? (2001)

  • I was not going to fork over a hundred bucks for one, no way.

    Blog text (15)

  • I hope you're ready to fork over more money.

    Skinned Alive (1990)

  • But he says it wasn't easy seeing his client have to fork over that much money.

    Academic text (2009)

  • As it turns out, without insurance, he would have been expected to fork over almost $24,000 in medical expenses.

    Blog text (27)

  • Kentucky would have to fork over cash to Joker Phillips and his coaches as well.

    Blog text (10)

  • And I would like to see with my own two peepers what I'm paying for before I fork over $10,000.

    She Hate Me (2004)

  • If it fails to do so, Zislis has to fork over $25,000 a month to the city.

    Blog text (1)

Synonyms

to give
vsto fork over
∞ 1.0

To hand something to someone, for example a present

usually implies transfer under pressure or reluctance rather than being done freely
to hand over
vsto fork over
296 2.8

Give something to someone because you have to

often refers specifically to giving money under pressure rather than general transfer of control
to pay up
vsto fork over
  • Informal
35 3.6

Give someone the money you owe them, often after they ask you

also covers giving money after pressure even when no debt was owed
to shell out
vsto fork over
  • Informal
30 7.1

Pay a large amount of money even when you do not want to

can refer to giving money after pressure even when sums are not large
to cough up
vsto fork over
  • Informal
23 6.5

To pay money unwillingly after being pressured

also covers cases when payment follows a direct request rather than only pressure
to pony up
vsto fork over
  • Informal
21 8.2

Pay money, often reluctantly, when others expect it

often happens after direct pressure or asking rather than when payment is simply expected
to fork out
vsto fork over
  • Informal
3 7.5

To pay money when you do not want to

often follows requests or pressure rather than pure personal reluctance
to fork up
vsto fork over
  • Informal
1 8.1

To pay money unwillingly

often follows asking or pressure instead of only being reluctant
to spit up
vsto fork over
  • Informal
7.7

To give something, often money, because others make you do it

also applies when someone is asked to give, not only under pressure

Antonyms

to retain
236 3.4

To keep having something such as a job or possession

How Reluctant

to cough up
  • Informal
23 6.5
to fork over
  • Informal
15 6.1
to hand over
296 2.8
to give
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

fork over infinitive
forked over past
forked over past participle
forking over present participle
forks over third person singular

Morphology

fork + over

The meaning 'to give (money), often unwillingly' is not predictably built from 'fork' (a utensil) and 'over' (above/transfer). While 'over' can sometimes signal transfer, 'fork' carries no sense of giving, so a B1 learner who knows the parts would unlikely infer the idiomatic sense without prior exposure.

Etymology

The phrasal verb fork over may come from the image of someone pushing coins or a small bag across a table with a fork because they do not want to touch it. That picture of being forced to give up something is why fork over means 'to give something, often unwillingly or after pressure'.