Pitch

Pitch, pich, v.t. to thrust or fix in the ground: to fix or set in array: to fix the rate or price: to fling or throw: (mus.) to set the keynote of.—v.i. to settle, as something pitched: to come to rest from flight: to fall headlong: to fix the choice: to encamp: to rise and fall, as a ship.—n. a throw or cast from the hand: any point or degree of elevation or depression: degree: degree of slope: a descent: the height of a note in speaking or in music: (mech.) distance between the centres of two teeth in a wheel or a saw, or between the threads of a screw measured parallel to the axis.—ns. Pitched′-batt′le, a battle in which the contending parties have fixed positions: a battle previously arranged for on both sides; Pitch′er; Pitch′-far′thing, chuck-farthing; Pitch′fork, a fork for pitching hay, &c.: a tuning-fork.—v.t. to lift with a pitchfork: to throw suddenly into any position.—ns. Pitch′ing, the act of throwing: a facing of stone along a bank to protect against the action of water; Pitch′pipe, a small pipe to pitch the voice or tune with.—Pitch and pay (Shak.), pay down at once, pay ready-money; Pitch and toss, a game in which coins are thrown at a mark, the person who throws nearest having the right of tossing all the coins, and keeping those which come down head uppermost; Pitch in, to begin briskly; Pitch into, to assault. [A form of pick.]