Fork out means pay money, usually more than you wanted to: we had to fork out for a replacement window. It's informal and a little grumpy: the payment was unwelcome or unexpected. I don't want to fork out a fortune for a chair. In American English, people also say fork over.
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fork out money; fork out for something; fork out money on/for something
- We had to fork out for a replacement window.
- I don't want to fork out a fortune for a chair I will rarely use.
- The passengers forked out for taxis after the last train was cancelled.
What changed
First versionWe had to fork out a new lock.
RevisionWe had to fork out for a new lock.
Pay a bill and buy a lock need no preposition, so fork out a new lock seems fine. But when you name what you paid for, you need for: fork out for a new lock. The amount takes no preposition: fork out fifty pounds.
Pay for is neutral: I paid for the tickets. Fork out for means pay up, and you can hear the reluctance: I had to fork out for the tickets again. Splash out is the opposite: spend money happily on a treat: we splashed out on a nice dinner.
Your turn
Complete the expression when the purchase, not the amount, follows: We had to fork out ___ a replacement key.
Show the answer
for — What follows fork out is the purchase, not the amount, so you need for: fork out for a replacement key. At doesn't fit here.
Describe an unexpected expense you had to fork out for.
We had to fork out for a new cable because the old one would not fit the projector.
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