in antiquity, a piece of timber resembling a fork, used by the Romans as an instrument of punishment.

The punishment of the furca was of three kinds: the first only ignominious, when a murtherer, for small offences, forced a servant to carry a furca on his shoulders about the city. The second was penal when the party was led about the circus, or other place, with the furca upon his neck, and whipped all the way. The third was capital, when the malefactor having his head fastened on the furca, was whipped to death.