1 B2 neutral
Of a road or path: to divide and go in a different direction from the main route.
"The path forks off to the left just past the old oak tree."
inseparable
fork off
B2 neutral inseparable intransitive
To diverge from a main route at a fork; or (vulgar slang) used as an expletive equivalent of 'get lost'.
In plain English
For a road: split into two directions. As slang: a rude way to tell someone to go away.
What does "fork off" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 idiomatic slang
(Vulgar slang) Used as an expletive telling someone to go away or stop bothering you.
"He told the heckler to fork off and left the stage."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
For a road to divide like the prongs of a fork and go off in a new direction.
Actually means
For a road: split into two directions. As slang: a rude way to tell someone to go away.
Usage tip
The road sense is straightforward and neutral. The expletive sense is vulgar British slang and should be used with great care. Learners should recognize but avoid the vulgar sense in most contexts.
Words that pair with "fork off"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
road path trail route left right
How to conjugate "fork off"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
fork off
I/you/we/they
3rd person
forks off
he/she/it
Past simple
forked off
yesterday
Past participle
forked off
have + pp
-ing form
forking off
continuous
Hear "fork off" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "fork off" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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