pitchfork

Definition

A long-handled agricultural tool with multiple prongs or tines, used for lifting and turning hay, straw, or other loose materials; also used metaphorically to describe an angry mob (as in 'angry with pitchforks') storming against someone. The symbol carries cultural weight as both a working tool and a representation of rural anger or peasant uprising.

Example Usage

The farmer used a pitchfork to spread fresh hay across the barn floor.

Origin

Compound of 'pitch' (to throw or toss) and 'fork,' from Old English 'forca,' originally from Latin 'furca' (forked branch).

Fun Fact

The pitchfork became an iconic symbol of peasant revolts and social unrest throughout European history, appearing frequently in art and literature as a marker of populist anger.

Source: Definition backfill (hailey)

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