Fork
A fork is a tool for eating solid food. It has a handle, and at the end has points called tines. Most forks have three or four tines. Some cooking-forks have two tines. The tines help to hold food in place for cutting with a knife, or to pick it up and lift to the mouth. Most forks today are made of metal. Some are made of plastic or wood. Thousands of years ago, some forks were made of bone.
The word "fork" is also used to describe a two choices of course. A fork in the road is a split in the road leading in two (or more) directions. A forked tongue would have two parts or tips.
Forks were long used for cooking. In Western culture they became common for eating around 1000 AD. Many countries do not use forks, but instead have their own ways, such as chopsticks.
Fork Media
From left to right: pastry fork, relish fork, salad fork, dinner fork, cold cuts fork, serving fork, carving fork
Mycenaean Greek grave finds, 16th century BC, including a Bronze fork
Bronze forks made in Persia during the 8th or 9th century
Sasanian silver fork (4th century)
An ice cream fork from the early 20th century
Carving knife and carving forks. Note folding fork guards.
Right handed pastry fork with widened left tine
Two-pronged wooden chip forks
