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- Dictionarypitch/pɪtʃ/
noun
- 1. the quality of a sound governed by the rate of vibrations producing it; the degree of highness or lowness of a tone: "her voice rose steadily in pitch" Similar tonetimbresoundkeytonalitymodulationfrequency
- ▪ a standard degree of highness or lowness used in performance: "the guitars were strung and tuned to pitch"
- 2. the steepness of a slope, especially of a roof. Similar steepnessanglegradientslopeslanttiltinclinecantrakedipinclination
- ▪ a section of a climb, especially a steep one.
- ▪ the height to which a hawk soars before swooping on its prey.
- 3. a level of the intensity of something, especially a high level: "the media furore reached such a pitch that the company withdrew the product" Similar levelintensitypointdegreeheightextent
- 4. an area of ground marked out or used for play in an outdoor team game: British "a football pitch" Similar playing fieldfieldgroundsports fieldstadiumarenaclosepark
- ▪ the strip of ground between the two sets of stumps: "both batsmen were stranded in the middle of the pitch"
- 5. a delivery of the ball by the pitcher. Similar throwcastflinghurltossdeliverylobinformal:chuckheave
- ▪ the spot where the ball bounces when bowled.
- ▪ a high approach shot on to the green.
- 6. a form of words used when trying to persuade someone to buy or accept something: "he put over a very strong sales pitch" Similar pattertalkinformal:spielline
- 7. a place where a street vendor or performer stations themselves or sets up a stall: British "the traders had already reserved their pitches" Similar siteplacespotstationstanceinformal:patch
- 8. a swaying or oscillation of a ship, aircraft, or vehicle around a horizontal axis perpendicular to the direction of motion: "the pitch and roll of the ship" Similar lurchpitchinglurchingrollrollingplungingreelingswayingrockinglistwallowinglabouringrare:keeling
- 9. the distance between successive corresponding points or lines, for example between the teeth of a cogwheel. technical
- ▪ a measure of the angle of the blades of a screw propeller, equal to the distance forward a blade would move in one revolution if it exerted no thrust on the medium.
- ▪ the density of typed or printed characters on a line, typically expressed as numbers of characters per inch.
verb
- 1. set (one's voice or a piece of music) at a particular pitch: "you've pitched the melody very high"
- ▪ set or aim at a particular level, target, or audience: "he should pitch his talk at a suitable level for the age group"
- 2. throw roughly or casually: "he crumpled the page up and pitched it into the fireplace" Similar throwtossflinghurlcastloblaunchflipshydashaimdirectpropelbowlinformal:chuckslingheavebuzzwhangbungyeetpeghoybish
- ▪ fall heavily, especially headlong: "she pitched forward into blackness" Similar fallfall headlongtumbletoppleplungeplummetdivetake a nosedivenosedive
- 3. throw (the ball) for the batter to try to hit.
- ▪ (of a bowler) cause (the ball) to strike the ground at a particular point: "all too often you pitch the ball short"
- ▪ hit (the ball) on to the green with a pitch shot.
- ▪ (of the ball) strike the ground in a particular spot: "the ball pitched, began to spin back, and rolled towards the hole"
- 4. make a bid to obtain a contract or other business: "I've been pitching for this account for over a month"
- ▪ try to persuade someone to buy or accept (something): "they pitched the story to various magazines and newspapers"
- ▪ set someone or something in conflict or competition with: British "the case has pitched brother against brother"
- 5. set up and fix in position: "we pitched camp for the night" Similar put upset uperectraisepositionfix in positionplacelocateset up camp
- ▪ fix (the stumps) in the ground and place the bails in preparation for play: "the stumps were pitched at 12 o'clock"
- 6. (of a moving ship, aircraft, or vehicle) rock or oscillate around a lateral axis, so that the front moves up and down: "the little steamer pressed on, pitching gently" Similar lurchtoss (about)plungerollreelswayrockflounderkeellistwallowlabourpitchpole
- ▪ (of a vehicle) move with a vigorous jolting motion: "a Land Rover came pitching round the hillside"
- 7. cause (a roof) to slope downwards from the ridge: "the roof was pitched at an angle of 75 degrees"
- ▪ slope downwards: "the ravine pitches down to the creek"
- 8. pave (a road) with stones: "another sort of stone is used for pitching streets"
- 9. (in brewing) add yeast to (wort) to induce fermentation.
Word Origin Middle English (as a verb in the senses ‘thrust (something pointed) into the ground’ and ‘fall headlong’): perhaps related to Old English picung ‘stigmata’, of unknown ultimate origin. The sense development is obscure.
Scrabble Points: 12
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