pitch

pitch¹ / pich/ • n. 1. the quality of a sound governed by the rate of vibrations producing it; the degree of highness or lowness of a tone: a car engine seems to change pitch downward as the vehicle passes you. ∎  a standard degree of highness or lowness used in performance: the guitars were strung and tuned to pitch. See also concert pitch. 2. the steepness of a slope, esp. of a roof. ∎ Climbing a section of a climb, esp. a steep one. ∎  the height to which a hawk soars before swooping on its prey. 3. [in sing.] the level of intensity of something: he brought the machine to a high pitch of development. ∎  (a pitch of) a very high degree of: rousing herself to a pitch of indignation. 4. Baseball a legal delivery of the ball by the pitcher. ∎  (also pitch shot) Golf a high approach shot onto the green. ∎  Football short for pitchout sense 2. 5. Brit. a playing field. ∎  Cricket the strip of ground between the two sets of stumps. 6. a form of words used when trying to persuade someone to buy or accept something: a good sales pitch. 7. a swaying or oscillation of a ship, aircraft, or vehicle around a horizontal axis perpendicular to the direction of motion. ∎  the degree of slope or angle, as of a roof. 8. technical the distance between successive corresponding points or lines, e.g., between the teeth of a cogwheel. ∎  a measure of the angle of the blades of a screw propeller, equal to the distance forward a blade would move in one revolution if it exerted no thrust on the medium. ∎  the density of typed or printed characters on a line, typically expressed as numbers of characters per inch. • v. 1. [tr.] Baseball throw (the ball) for the batter to try to hit. ∎ Baseball assign (a player) to pitch. ∎  [intr.] be a pitcher: she pitched in a minor-league game | [tr.] he pitched the entire game. ∎  Golf hit (the ball) onto the green with a pitch shot. ∎  [intr.] Golf (of the ball) strike the ground in a particular spot. 2. [tr.] throw or fling roughly or casually: he crumpled the page up and pitched it into the fireplace. ∎  [intr.] fall heavily, esp. headlong: she pitched forward into blackness. 3. [tr.] set (one's voice or a piece of music) at a particular pitch: you've pitched the melody very high. ∎  express at a particular level of difficulty: he should pitch his talk at a suitable level for the age group. ∎  aim (a product) at a particular section of the market: the machine is being pitched at banks. 4. [intr.] make a bid to obtain a contract or other business: they were pitching for an account. 5. [tr.] set up and fix in a definite position: we pitched camp for the night. 6. [intr.] (of a moving ship, aircraft, or vehicle) rock or oscillate around a lateral axis, so that the front and back move up and down: the little steamer pressed on, pitching gently. ∎  (of a vehicle) move with a vigorous jogging motion: a jeep came pitching down the hill. 7. [tr.] cause (a roof) to slope downward from the ridge: the roof was pitched at an angle of 75 degrees | [as adj.] (pitched) a pitched roof. ∎  [intr.] slope downward: the ravine pitches down to the creek. PHRASES: make a pitch make a bid to obtain a contract or other business.PHRASAL VERBS: pitch in inf. vigorously join in to help with a task or activity. ∎  join in a fight or dispute. pitch into inf. vigorously tackle or begin to deal with. ∎  forcefully assault. pitch out throw a pitchout. pitch² • n. a sticky resinous black or dark brown substance that is semiliquid when hot, hard when cold. It is obtained by distilling tar or petroleum and is used for waterproofing. ∎  any of various similar substances, such as asphalt or bitumen. ∎  a sticky resinous sap from a conifer. • v. [tr.] cover, coat, or smear with pitch.