--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Fork: An instrument used chiefly for the…" description: "\"Fork: An instrument used chiefly for the purpose of putting dead animals into the mouth.\" — Ambrose Bierce" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/915/ambrose-bierce-140_fork_fork-an-instrument-used-chiefly-for-the_536481.jpg" --- # Fork: An instrument used chiefly for the purpose of… ![“Fork: An instrument used chiefly for the purpose of putting dead animals into the mouth.” quote by Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/915/ambrose-bierce-140_fork_fork-an-instrument-used-chiefly-for-the_536481.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/915/ambrose-bierce-140_fork_fork-an-instrument-used-chiefly-for-the_536481.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/915/ambrose-bierce-140_fork_fork-an-instrument-used-chiefly-for-the_536481.jpg) > “Fork: An instrument used chiefly for the purpose of putting dead animals into the mouth.” [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A satirical definition that mocks the absurdity of human consumption habits. **In simple terms:** A fork is described as a tool for eating dead animals. Key Takeaway Question your daily eating habits. Themes satire food human nature Mood ironic critical Type satirical humorous When to use this quote - dining - food preparation - ethical debates Key Concepts consumerism morality humor Questions to Reflect On - What does this definition reveal about our relationship with food? - Is humor effective in critiquing society? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Instrument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instrument/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) ## Related quotes > [“Whenever you come upon a fork in the road DON'T put it in your mouth! You don't know where it's been.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-r-paskoff/whenever-you-come-upon-a-fork-in-the-road-don-t-put-it-in-your-mouth/) G. R. Paskoff > [“I thought I could wait to tell you until everything was figured out,” she says. “I didn’t think you’d have any contact with actual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-a-cole/i-thought-i-could-wait-to-tell-you-until-everything-was-figured-out/) [Olivia A. Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-a-cole/) > [“It was an old hunter in camp and the hunter shared tobacco with him and told him of the buffalo and the stands he'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/it-was-an-old-hunter-in-camp-and-the-hunter-shared-tobacco-with-him-2/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [I-man say don't make jah body a graveyard for de dead animals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-marley/i-man-say-don-t-make-jah-body-a-graveyard-for-de-dead-animals/) [Bob Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-marley/) > [To divine the course of world events, you'd do as well to probe the entrails of dead animals. Better still, ask your hairstylist. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bacevich/to-divine-the-course-of-world-events-you-d-do-as-well-to-probe-the/) [Andrew Bacevich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bacevich/) > [We wouldn't have to speak so critically if businesses would stop feeding dead animals to live ones, putting non-food substances into food, tinkering with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/we-wouldn-t-have-to-speak-so-critically-if-businesses-would-stop/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [My point is, to emulate dead animals and their parts as decoration is pretty disgusting, and as a design statement, it also fills me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-farr/my-point-is-to-emulate-dead-animals-and-their-parts-as-decoration-is/) [Hilary Farr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-farr/) > [“From above you could see the chaos of entangled plots on the other side of the road, and a couple of tough tethered goats,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-d-miller/from-above-you-could-see-the-chaos-of-entangled-plots-on-the-other/) [A.D. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-d-miller/) > [I choose not to make a graveyard of my body for the rotting corpses of dead animals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/i-choose-not-to-make-a-graveyard-of-my-body-for-the-rotting-corpses/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [The only thing you find in the middle of the road are dead animals and dumb Americans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-newcombe/the-only-thing-you-find-in-the-middle-of-the-road-are-dead-animals/) [Anton Newcombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-newcombe/) > [I do not want to make my stomach a graveyard of dead animals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/i-do-not-want-to-make-my-stomach-a-graveyard-of-dead-animals/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [How many of those dead animals you see on the highway are suicides?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-miller/how-many-of-those-dead-animals-you-see-on-the-highway-are-suicides/) [Dennis Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-miller/) > [“It was an old hunter in camp and the hunter shared tobacco with him and told him of the buffalo and the stands he’d…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/it-was-an-old-hunter-in-camp-and-the-hunter-shared-tobacco-with-him/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [“Half the people I know have dead animals in their freezers: reptiles, birds, mammals. Is that normal?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/half-the-people-i-know-have-dead-animals-in-their-freezers-reptiles/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [A lot of hip-hop artists wear fur, and they think it's a status symbol. That doesn't register for me; I just see dead animals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-lee/a-lot-of-hip-hop-artists-wear-fur-and-they-think-it-s-a-status-symbol/) [Tommy Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-lee/) ## More by Ambrose Bierce > [OBSESSED, p.p. Vexed by an evil spirit, like the Gadarene swine and other critics. Obsession was once more common than it is now. Arasthus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/obsessed-p-p-vexed-by-an-evil-spirit-like-the-gadarene-swine-and/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [DECIDE, v.i. To succumb to the preponderance of one set of influences over another set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/decide-v-i-to-succumb-to-the-preponderance-of-one-set-of-influences/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [IMMORAL, adj. Inexpedient. Whatever in the long run and with regard to the greater number of instances men find to be generally inexpedient comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/immoral-adj-inexpedient-whatever-in-the-long-run-and-with-regard-to/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [REVIEW, v.t. To set your wisdom (holding not a doubt of it./ Although in truth there's neither bone nor skin to it)/ At work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/review-v-t-to-set-your-wisdom-holding-not-a-doubt-of-it-although-in/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [CLOCK, n. A machine of great moral value to man, allaying his concern for the future by reminding him what a lot of time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/clock-n-a-machine-of-great-moral-value-to-man-allaying-his-concern/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [RUBBISH, n. Worthless matter, such as the religions, philosophies, literatures, arts and sciences of the tribes infesting the regions lying due south from Boreaplas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/rubbish-n-worthless-matter-such-as-the-religions-philosophies/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [There was never a genius who was not thought a fool until he disclosed himself; whereas he is a fool then only.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/there-was-never-a-genius-who-was-not-thought-a-fool-until-he/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Telephone, n. An invention of the devil which abrogates some of the advantages of making a disagreeable person keep his distance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/telephone-n-an-invention-of-the-devil-which-abrogates-some-of-the/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [WHANGDEPOOTENAWAH, n. In the Ojibwa tongue, disaster; an unexpected affliction that strikes hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/whangdepootenawah-n-in-the-ojibwa-tongue-disaster-an-unexpected/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Jealous, adj. Unduly concerned about the preservation of that which can be lost only if not worth keeping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/jealous-adj-unduly-concerned-about-the-preservation-of-that-which-can/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [RIDICULE, n. Words designed to show that the person of whom they are uttered is devoid of the dignity of character distinguishing him who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/ridicule-n-words-designed-to-show-that-the-person-of-whom-they-are/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Think twice before you speak to a friend in need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/think-twice-before-you-speak-to-a-friend-in-need/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [HERMIT, n. A person whose vices and follies are not sociable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/hermit-n-a-person-whose-vices-and-follies-are-not-sociable/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [TARIFF, n. A scale of taxes on imports, designed to protect the domestic producer against the greed of his consumer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/tariff-n-a-scale-of-taxes-on-imports-designed-to-protect-the-domestic/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [A bad marriage is like an electrical thrilling machine: it makes you dance, but you can't let go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/a-bad-marriage-is-like-an-electrical-thrilling-machine-it-makes-you/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) [Explore all 1,157 Ambrose Bierce quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) ## More Fork quotes > [Once I was in a restaurant and I dropped my fork on the floor, and they gave me a new fork. So I pushed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/once-i-was-in-a-restaurant-and-i-dropped-my-fork-on-the-floor-and/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [“When you get to the fork in the road…take it!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-berra/when-you-get-to-the-fork-in-the-road-take-it/) [Yogi Berra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-berra/) > [The world was my oyster but I used the wrong fork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-world-was-my-oyster-but-i-used-the-wrong-fork/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others. If you have that awareness, you have good manners, no matter what fork you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-post/manners-are-a-sensitive-awareness-of-the-feelings-of-others-if-you/) [Emily Post](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-post/) > [When you arrive at a fork in the road, take it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-berra/when-you-arrive-at-a-fork-in-the-road-take-it/) [Yogi Berra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-berra/) > [“When you come to a fork in the road, just take it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-berra/when-you-come-to-a-fork-in-the-road-just-take-it/) [Yogi Berra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-berra/) > [Food is much better off the hand than the fork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-batali/food-is-much-better-off-the-hand-than-the-fork/) [Mario Batali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-batali/) > [The life of expression is the tuning fork by which we find our way to the sacred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-nepo/the-life-of-expression-is-the-tuning-fork-by-which-we-find-our-way-to/) [Mark Nepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-nepo/) > [“Bullshit. You can paint with a fork, you can kill with a fork. A fork is a tool. Don't let yourself be confined by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-fatah-steele/bullshit-you-can-paint-with-a-fork-you-can-kill-with-a-fork-a-fork-is/) Brian Fatah Steele > [You don't need a silver fork to eat good food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-prudhomme/you-don-t-need-a-silver-fork-to-eat-good-food/) [Paul Prudhomme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-prudhomme/) > [“Whenever you come upon a fork in the road DON'T put it in your mouth! You don't know where it's been.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-r-paskoff/whenever-you-come-upon-a-fork-in-the-road-don-t-put-it-in-your-mouth/) G. R. Paskoff > [It is quite amazing how hard the subconscious works when it is made to understand that this life is not a rehearsal, there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burdett/it-is-quite-amazing-how-hard-the-subconscious-works-when-it-is-made/) [John Burdett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burdett/) > [Violence begins with the fork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/violence-begins-with-the-fork/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [The world is like a dropped pie most of the time. Don't kill yourself trying to put it back together. Just grab a fork…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/the-world-is-like-a-dropped-pie-most-of-the-time-don-t-kill-yourself/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“It was either the chaos of a crowd of thoughts or the silence of solitude... nothing in between..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanhita-baruah/it-was-either-the-chaos-of-a-crowd-of-thoughts-or-the-silence-of/) [Sanhita Baruah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanhita-baruah/) Browse all 92 Fork quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Fork: An instrument used chiefly for the purpose of putting dead animals into the mouth.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ambrose Bierce" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/fork-an-instrument-used-chiefly-for-the-purpose-of-putting-dead/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fork" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/fork-an-instrument-used-chiefly-for-the-purpose-of-putting-dead/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/915/ambrose-bierce-140_fork_fork-an-instrument-used-chiefly-for-the_536481.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/915/ambrose-bierce-140_fork_fork-an-instrument-used-chiefly-for-the_536481.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/915/ambrose-bierce-140_fork_fork-an-instrument-used-chiefly-for-the_536481.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Fork: An instrument used chiefly for the purpose of putting dead animals into the mouth.” — Ambrose Bierce", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ambrose Bierce", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Fork: An instrument used chiefly for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/fork-an-instrument-used-chiefly-for-the-purpose-of-putting-dead/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/fork-an-instrument-used-chiefly-for-the-purpose-of-putting-dead/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```