pitch

[[t]pɪ̱tʃ[/t]]

♦♦♦

pitches, pitching, pitched

1) N-COUNT: oft n N A pitch is an area of ground that is marked out and used for playing a game such as soccer, cricket, or hockey. [mainly BRIT]

There was a swimming-pool, cricket pitches, playing fields...

In their conduct, both on and off the pitch, the Danes were a credit to the game.

(in AM, usually use field)

2) VERB If you pitch something somewhere, you throw it with quite a lot of force, usually aiming it carefully.

[V n prep] Simon pitched the empty bottle into the lake.

3) VERB To pitch somewhere means to fall forwards suddenly and with a lot of force.

[V adv] The movement took him by surprise, and he pitched forward...

[V adv] Alan staggered sideways, pitched head-first over the low wall and fell into the lake...

[be V-ed prep/adv] I was pitched into the water and swam ashore.

4) VERB If someone is pitched into a new situation, they are suddenly forced into it.

[be V-ed prep] They were being pitched into a new adventure in which they would have to fight the whole world...

[V n prep] This could pitch the government into confrontation with the work-force.

5) VERB In the game of baseball or rounders, when you pitch the ball, you throw it to the batter for them to hit it.

[V n] We passed long, hot afternoons pitching a baseball. [Also V prep]

Derived words:

pitching N-UNCOUNT

His pitching was a legend among major league hitters.

6) N-UNCOUNT The pitch of a sound is how high or low it is.

→ See also perfect pitch

He raised his voice to an even higher pitch.

7) VERB: usu passive If a sound is pitched at a particular level, it is produced at the level indicated.

→ See also , low-pitched

[be V-ed prep/adv] His cry is pitched at a level that makes it impossible to ignore...

[be V-ed prep/adv] His voice was pitched high, the words muffled by his crying...

[V-ed] Her voice was well pitched and brisk.

8) VERB If something is pitched at a particular level or degree of difficulty, it is set at that level.

[be V-ed prep] Whilst this is very important material I think it's probably pitched at rather too high a level for our purposes...

[V n prep] The government has pitched High Street interest rates at a new level.

9) N-SING: usu with supp If something such as a feeling or a situation rises to a high pitch, it rises to a high level.

→ See also fever pitch

I feel very sorry for the competitors who have all worked themselves up to a very high pitch for this first day...

Tension has reached such a pitch that the armed forces say soldiers may have to use their weapons to defend themselves against local people.

10) VERB If you pitch your tent, or pitch camp, you put up your tent in a place where you are going to stay.

[V n] He had pitched his tent in the yard...

[V n] At dusk we pitched camp in the middle of nowhere.

11) VERB If a boat pitches, it moves violently up and down with the movement of the waves when the sea is rough.

The ship is pitching and rolling in what looks like about fifteen foot seas.

12) N-UNCOUNT Pitch is a black substance that is sticky when it is hot and very hard when it is dry. Pitch is used on the bottoms of boats and on the roofs of houses to prevent water getting in.

→ See also pitch-black

The timbers of similar houses were painted with pitch.

13) → See also pitched

14) PHRASE: V inflects, oft PHR for n If someone makes a pitch for something, they try to persuade people to do or buy it.

→ See also sales pitch

The President speaks in New York today, making another pitch for his economic program...

Prue invited the magazine's editor to lunch and made her pitch.

Phrasal Verbs:

- pitch for

- pitch in