Richard Wright wrote:

> On 6 Sep 2004 23:09:47 -0700, (Barry Popik) wrote:
>
> <snipped>
>
>>Pitch-in: A gathering where everyone contributes a dish to eat, known
>>by the rest of the English-speaking world as a potluck.
>
>
> Are you sure about the rest of the English-speaking world? I'm from
> England and Aus and don't sense this meaning in potluck.
>
> Nor does OED. "One's luck or chance as to what may be in the pot, i.e.
> cooked for a meal: used in reference to a person accepting another's
> hospitality at a meal without any special preparation having been made
> for him; chiefly in phr. to take pot-luck."
>
> That's almost the opposite of pitch-in.

That's the meaning I know here in the UK too. We don't seem to have a
special name for those occasions when you all donate a food item. This
is possible because contribution lead entertaining is relatively
uncommon except for special occasions like the school Christmas party,
street parties for royal occasions, and the like.

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