pitch Definition

pitch¹
verb pitches, pitched, pitching

1. To set up (a tent or camp).
2. To throw or fling.

Thesaurus: throw, toss, hurl, heave, fling, lob, sling, cast.
tr & intr
3. To fall or make someone or something fall heavily forward.

Thesaurus: fall, dive, plunge, lunge, lurch, topple, tumble, flounder, stagger, flop.
intr
4. Said of a ship: to plunge and lift alternately at bow and stern.
tr & intr
5. Said of a roof: to slope.

Example: is pitched at a steep angle
Thesaurus: slope, lean, tilt, rise, raise, drop.
6. To give a particular musical pitch to (one's voice or a note) in singing or playing, or to set (a song, etc) at a higher or lower level within a possible range

Example: The tune is pitched too high for me.
7. To choose a level, eg of difficulty, sophistication, etc at which to present (a talk, etc).

Example: was pitched too low for this audience
8a. cricket.
To bowl (the ball) so that it lands where the batsman can hit it;
8b. golf.
To hit (the ball) high and gently, so that it stays where it is on landing;
tr & intr
8c. baseball.
Said of the pitcher² (sense 1): to throw the ball overarm or underarm to the person batting.
9. To pave (a road) with stones set on end or on edge.

noun pitches

1. The field or area of play in any of several sports.
2. An act or style of pitching or throwing.

Thesaurus: throw, toss, hurl, heave, fling, lob, sling, cast.
3. A degree of intensity; a level.

Example: reached such a pitch of excitement
4a. The angle of steepness of a slope;

Thesaurus: slope, incline, grade, angle, tilt, drop, steepness, level.
4b. Such a slope.
5. music.
The degree of highness or lowness of a note that results from the frequency of the vibrations producing it.
6. A street trader's station.
7. A line in sales talk, especially one often made use of.
8. The distance between teeth on a saw, toothed wheel, etc, or between threads on a screw.
9. The plunging and rising motion of a ship.
10. The angle between the chord of the blade of a propeller and the plane of rotation.
11. geol.
The angle between a linear feature on the horizontal, measured in the inclined plane containing both. Compare plunge.

Derivative: pitcher

See separate entry.

Idiom: pitch camp

To set up tents, etc upon arrival at a campsite, etc.

Idiom: queer someone's pitch

See queer.

Etymology: 13c as picchen to throw or put up.

Phrasal Verb: pitch in

To begin enthusiastically.To join in; to make a contribution.

Phrasal Verb: pitch into someone

To rebuke or blame them angrily.

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pitch²
noun pitches

1. A thick black sticky substance obtained from coal tar, used for filling ships' seams, etc.
2. Any of various bituminous substances. Compare wood tar.

Thesaurus: tar, gum, resin, rosin.
3. In papermaking: a mixture of residues that interferes with paper quality.

verb

pitches, pitched, pitching
1. To coat or treat something with pitch.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon pic.