Obs. Forms: 4 fourche, 5 forche, 6 fowche, 7 fouch(e. Also FURCH. [ME. fourche, a. OF. fourche, forche, lit. ‘fork’: cf. FORCHE.]

1

  1.  ? The fork of the legs.

2

c. 1330.  R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 1824. Wiþ fet in fourche [v.r. fouche] ilk oþer tok [said of wrestlers].

3

  2.  The hind quarters of a deer; also pl.

4

c. 1340.  Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 1357. Þay … henged þenne a[y]þer bi hoȝes of þe fourcheȝ.

5

1486.  Bk. St. Albans, F iij b.

        And after the Ragge boon cuttis euen also
The forchis, and the sydes euen betwene.

6

1491.  [see FURCH].

7

c. 1550.  Wyl Bucke His Test., B 3 b. For to cut out kindely the fowche. Take of the buttockes of him by the inner Joynt of the loyne, and let both the loynes sitte together … and leue therin the kidneys.

8

1631.  Brathwait, Whimzies, Forrester, 36. When he is to present some neighbouring gentleman in his masters name, with a side or a fouch, hee has an excellent art in improving his venison to the best.

9

1671.  in 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. VII. (1890), 382. Given to Mr. Bellingham’s man that brought a fouch of venison, 2s.

10

  Hence Fouch v. trans., to divide a buck into four quarters (Halliwell).

11