Pitches

Part of speech: verb, noun

Definitions

1. A series of proposals or presentations intended to persuade an audience | Various inclinations or slopes, often used in a technical context | The degree of tilt or angle in a physical structure or item
2. A collection of persuasive presentations aimed at convincing an audience | A range of angles or slopes that describe the inclination of an object | The measurement of angle or tilt relating to various surfaces or items
3. A set of presentations designed to influence an audience's decision | Various angles of inclination found in objects or surfaces | The measurement of how steep or tilted something is in physical terms

Etymology: The verb form of this word, meaning to throw or to set up something like a tent or a proposal, traces back to the late Middle English period. Originally, it came from the Old English verb "piccean," which meant to thrust or pierce. This root itself is somewhat obscure but is thought to be related to the action of driving a sharp object into something, which naturally extended metaphorically to throwing or casting something with force. Over time, the sense broadened from a physical action to more abstract uses, such as pitching ideas or sales pitches. As a noun, the term also evolved from this action-oriented origin but took on specialized meanings in various contexts. One of the earliest recorded noun senses is the area where a game like cricket or baseball is played, deriving from the idea of a place where the ball is pitched or thrown. This use appeared in English by the late 16th century. The notion of a "pitch" as a sales presentation, or a persuasive speech, emerged later, reflecting the extension of the verb's meaning into the realm of communication and persuasion. Interestingly, the noun form also acquired a meaning associated with tar-like substances used in waterproofing or paving, but this is etymologically distinct, coming from Old English "pic," borrowed from Latin "pix." Though spelled the same, this sense is unrelated to the throwing or setting-up meanings and represents a separate lineage. The plural form, used in both noun and verb senses, simply follows standard English rules for regular pluralization and conjugation. The word’s flexibility across different fields—from sports to business to camping—illustrates how a simple physical action can give rise to a variety of metaphorical and specialized meanings over the centuries.

Synonyms: throws, hurls, launches, casts, flings

Antonyms: catches, receives