I. ˈpich noun
Etymology: Middle English pich, from Old English pic, from Latin pic-, pix; akin to Greek pissa pitch, Old Church Slavic pĭcĭlŭ
Date: before 12th century
1. : a black or dark viscous substance obtained as a residue in the distillation of organic materials and especially tars
2. : any of various bituminous substances
3. : resin obtained from various conifers and often used medicinally
4. : any of various artificial mixtures resembling resinous or bituminous pitches
II. transitive verb
Date: before 12th century
: to cover, smear, or treat with or as if with pitch
III. verb
Etymology: Middle English pichen to thrust, drive, fix firmly, probably from Old English * piccan, from Vulgar Latin * piccare — more at pike
Date: 13th century
transitive verb
1. : to erect and fix firmly in place
pitch a tent
2. : to throw usually with a particular objective or toward a particular point
pitch hay onto a wagon
as
a. : to throw (a baseball) to a batter
b. : to toss (as coins) so as to fall at or near a mark
pitch pennies
c. : to put aside or discard by or as if by throwing
pitch ed the trash into the bin
decided to pitch the whole idea
3.
a. : to present or advertise especially in a high-pressure way : plug , promote
b. : to attempt to persuade especially with a sales pitch
c. : to present (a movie or program idea) for consideration (as by a TV producer)
4.
a.
(1) : to cause to be at a particular level or of a particular quality
a test pitch ed at a 5th-grade reading level
(2) : to set in a particular musical key
b. : to cause to be set at a particular angle : slope
5. : to utter glibly and insincerely
6.
a. : to use as a starting pitcher
b. : to play as pitcher
7. : to hit (a golf ball) in a high arc with backspin so that it rolls very little after striking the green
8. : throw 14
pitch a fit
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to fall precipitately or headlong
b.
(1) of a ship : to have the bow alternately plunge precipitately and rise abruptly
(2) of an aircraft, missile, or spacecraft : to turn about a lateral axis so that the forward end rises or falls in relation to the after end
c. : buck 1
2. : encamp
3. : to hit upon or happen upon something
pitch upon the perfect gift
4. : to incline downward : slope
5.
a. : to throw a ball to a batter
b. : to play ball as a pitcher
c. : to pitch a golf ball
6. : to make a sales pitch
Synonyms: see throw
•
- pitch into
IV. noun
Date: 1542
1.
a. : slope ; also : degree of slope : rake
b. : the distance between any of various things: as
(1) : distance between one point on a gear tooth and the corresponding point on the next tooth
(2) : distance from any point on the thread of a screw to the corresponding point on an adjacent thread measured parallel to the axis
c. : the theoretical distance a propeller would advance longitudinally in one revolution
d. : the number of teeth or of threads per inch
e. : a unit of width of type based on the number of times a letter can be set in a linear inch
2. : the action or a manner of pitching ; especially : an up-and-down movement — compare yaw
3. archaic : top , zenith
4.
a. : the relative level, intensity, or extent of some quality or state
tensions rose to a feverish pitch
b.
(1) : the property of a sound and especially a musical tone that is determined by the frequency of the waves producing it : highness or lowness of sound
(2) : a standard frequency for tuning instruments
c.
(1) : the difference in the relative vibration frequency of the human voice that contributes to the total meaning of speech
(2) : a definite relative pitch that is a significant phenomenon in speech
5.
a. : a steep place : declivity
b. : the portion of a route (as in mountain climbing or caving) between belay points
6. chiefly British
a. : an outdoor site (as for camping or doing business)
b. : playing field 1
7. : an all-fours game in which the first card led is a trump
8.
a. : an often high-pressure sales presentation
b. : advertisement
c. : recommendation , plug
made a pitch for tax cuts
9.
a. : the delivery of a baseball by a pitcher to a batter
b. : a baseball so thrown
c. : pitchout 2
• pitched ˈpicht adjective
[
pitch 4b(1): two systems of staff notation of pitch
]