pitch

Pronunciation

• IPA: /pɪtʃ/
• American English: pich

Origin

From Middle English "pich," derived from Old English "pic," ultimately from Latin "pix" meaning "pitch" or "tar."

Meanings

1. (noun) A thick, black, sticky substance obtained from tar or turpentine.

   • Example: "The roofers used pitch to seal the joints between the shingles."

2. (noun) The degree of slope or incline.

   • Example: "The pitch of the roof made it difficult to walk on without slipping."

3. (noun) The quality of a sound, particularly its highness or lowness.

   • Example: "The singer's voice had a perfect pitch throughout the performance."

4. (verb) To throw or toss, especially with precision.

   • Example: "He pitched the ball to the batter with incredible speed."

5. (noun) A sales presentation or proposal.

   • Example: "The entrepreneur made a convincing pitch to potential investors."

6. (verb) To set up or establish.

   • Example: "We pitched our tents in a clearing near the lake."

7. (noun) In sports, the playing field or area.

   • Example: "The players took to the pitch for the final match of the season."

Related Words

• Different forms:

  • pitched (past tense/past participle)
  • pitching (present participle)
  • pitches (plural noun/third-person singular verb)

• Synonyms:

  • (throw) toss, hurl, fling
  • (slope) incline, gradient, angle
  • (sound quality) tone, frequency, timbre
  • (sales presentation) proposal, proposition, suggestion

Memorization Tricks

1. Think "PITCH" as an acronym:

   • P - Propose (sales pitch)
   • I - Incline (slope)
   • T - Throw (to pitch a ball)
   • C - Choir (musical pitch)
   • H - Habitat (to pitch a tent)

2. Visualize a baseball