pitch

pitch1 [ pıtʃ ] noun **

▸ 1 how high/low sound is

▸ 2 strength of emotion etc.

▸ 3 something you say to persuade

▸ 4 a throw of the ball

▸ 5 black sticky substance

▸ 6 slope of roof etc.

▸ 7 ship/aircraft movement

▸ 8 in climbing

▸ 9 high hit in golf

▸ 10 sports field

▸ 11 on street

1. ) singular or uncount the high or low quality of a musical note

a ) uncount someone's ability to play or sing exactly the right musical note

b ) uncount the high or low quality of a sound:

pitch of: Many actors have been trained to lower the pitch of their voice.

2. ) singular or uncount the level or degree of activity or of someone's emotions:

rise to/reach a pitch: Excitement and enthusiasm rose to fever pitch.

The fighting between the supporters of the two groups reached a new pitch.

a ) a level of development:

high pitch: Expertise in these techniques was already at a high pitch.

3. ) count the things you say to persuade someone to buy something or support you:

sales pitch: People are very wary of the obvious sales pitch.

make a pitch (for something): She only had ten minutes to make her pitch for the contract.

4. ) count a throw of the ball by the PITCHER in baseball:

The pitch was high and outside.

5. ) uncount a thick black sticky substance used on roofs and ships to stop water from getting through

6. ) singular or uncount the slope of something such as a roof:

The roof had a steep pitch.

7. ) count a sudden movement in which an aircraft or ship moves up and down

8. ) count in climbing, an area crossed by people using the same rope

9. ) pitch or pitch shot count in golf, a high hit, especially one onto the GREEN that does not roll far when it lands

10. ) count BRITISH a sports field

11. ) count BRITISH a place where someone stands to sell something or to entertain people in the street

=> FEVER PITCH

pitch

pitch 2 [ pıtʃ ] verb **

▸ 1 aim talk etc. at group

▸ 2 fall suddenly

▸ 3 throw with force

▸ 4 make sound high/low

▸ 5 try to sell/persuade

▸ 6 about ship/aircraft

▸ 7 hit ball high in golf

▸ 8 when ball hits ground

▸ + PHRASES

1. ) transitive to make a speech, explanation, job, etc. appropriate for people who are a particular age, level of ability, etc.:

He pitched the level just right.

pitch something at/toward/for someone: Her book is pitched at teenagers.

a task pitched at the weaker members of the group

a ) to design something so that you can sell it to a particular group of people:

pitch something at/toward: These new homes will be pitched at the upper end of the market.

2. ) intransitive pitch into/down/forward etc to fall suddenly in a particular direction: PLUNGE:

He tripped and pitched head first into the water.

3. ) transitive to throw something using a lot of force: FLING:

He picked up a rock and pitched it.

pitch something into/over/across etc. something: Jan pitched her books over the fence and climbed over after them.

a ) intransitive or transitive to throw the ball to a BATTER in the game of baseball:

Davis pitched an inning last night for the Jacksonville Suns.

b ) transitive pitch someone down/into/forward etc. if an animal or moving object pitches someone somewhere, it throws them there suddenly:

The horse reared and pitched its rider to the ground.

4. ) transitive to make a sound at a particular level:

pitch something high/low: Her voice was pitched confidentially low.

5. ) transitive to try to sell something by saying how good it is:

Bayliss was able to pitch his invention frequently on television.

pitch something to someone: He had tried to pitch the series to all the major network bosses.

a ) to try to persuade someone to give you some work, a business deal, etc.:

pitch for: Our company is pitching for the support contract.

6. ) intransitive if a ship or aircraft pitches, it moves up and down suddenly

7. ) transitive in golf, to hit a ball high and with BACKSPIN, so that it does not roll very far when it lands

8. ) intransitive if a ball pitches in golf, it hits the ground

pitch someone a line/yarn AMERICAN INFORMAL

to tell someone something that may not be completely true, especially as an excuse

pitch a tent/pitch camp

to make a tent or camp ready to use

`pitch a,gainst phrasal verb transitive often passive INFORMAL

pitch someone against someone to make someone fight or compete against someone else:

He was pitched against Kennedy in the battle for the party leadership.

,pitch `in phrasal verb intransitive INFORMAL

1. ) to join with other people in doing a job:

If we all pitch in, we can finish today.

2. ) to give your opinion, ideas, etc. during a conversation:

pitch in with: My brother pitched in with an offer to loan us some money.

,pitch `into phrasal verb transitive INFORMAL

1. ) pitch someone into something to put someone in a new situation, especially when they were not expecting it:

The incident had pitched him into the national headlines.

2. ) pitch into someone to start attacking or criticizing someone

,pitch `out phrasal verb transitive INFORMAL

pitch someone out to force someone to leave a place, organization, etc.:

He was pitched out of office last year after a series of blunders.