forethink 
The motiou, lady, 
To me, I can assure you, is not sudden, 
But welcoufd and forethought. 
Ford, Lady's Trial, v. 2. 
forethink' 2 t, v. Seeforthink. 
forethought (for'thot), n. [< ME. forethouht, 
forlhoght; (.fore- 1 + thought.] 1. A thinking 
beforehand ; previous consideration ; premedi- 
tation. 
This materis more jitt will I mende, so for to fulfill my 
for-thoffht. York Plays, p. 13. 
Devises by last will and testament are always more 
favoured in construction than formal deeds, which an- 
presumed to be made with great caution, forethought, and 
advise. Blackitone, Com. 
His good was mainly an intent, 
His evil not of forethought done. 
Whittier, My Namesake. 
2. Provident care ; prudence. 
The native race would still have had to learn from the 
colonists industry IUH\ forethought, the arts of life, and the 
language of England. Mataulay, Hist. Eng., vi. 
= Syn. 2. Foresight, precaution, forecast. 
forethoughtful (for'thdt-ful), a. [< fore- 
thought, n., + -ful.] Having forethought. 
[Rare.] 
foretime (for'tim), n. A time previous to the 
present, or to a time alluded to or implied. 
His people, to whom all foreign matters in foretime were 
odious, began to wish in their beloved prince experience 
by travel. Sir P. Sidney, Arcadia, ii. 
The outward, visible Athens seemed unchanged. There 
she sat, as in the foretime, on her citadel rock. 
R. Choate, Addresses, p. 180. 
foretoken (f 6r't6-kn), . [< ME. foretoken, far- 
token, fortaken, < AS.foretdcen, fortdcen, <fore, 
for, before, + tdcen, a sign, token : see fore- 1 and 
token, n.] A prognostic ; a premonitory sign. 
It may prove some ominous foretoken of misfortune. 
Sir P. Sidney. 
foretoken (for-to'kn), v. t. [< ME. "foretoknen 
(not found), < AS.foretdcnian, foreshow, < fore- 
tdcen, a foretoken: see foretoken, n.] To be- 
token beforehand; prognosticate; foreshadow. 
Whilst strange prodigious signs foretoken blood. 
Daniel. 
The boat is sakl to turn, sometimes, when there is no 
wind to move it, and, according to the position which it 
takes, to foretoken various events, good and evil. 
B. W. Lane, Modern Egyptians, II. 220. 
foretokening (for-tok'ning), . [Verbal n. of 
foretoken, r.] Indication in advance. 
The dictatour himself, for his part, hath given a good 
foretokening and presage of a consult commoner, in elect- 
ing his geuerall of horsemen from out of the commons. 
Holland, tr. of Livy, p. 246. 
fore-tooth (for'tSth), n. A tooth in the fore 
part of the mouth ; any tooth socketed in the 
premaxillary bone; an incisor. [Properly 
written as two words.] 
foretop (for'top), n. [< ME. foretop. fortop, 
foretop (def. 1); <fore- 1 + top.] If. The fore- 
head. 
His fax [hair) and his foretoppe was fllterede togeders. 
Morte Arthure, t. 64. (Hattiifell.) 
Blessynge of hym that aperyde in the busshe come upon 
the heed of Joseph, and upon the/or(op of Nazarey. 
Wyclif, Deut. xxxiii. 16 (Oxf.). 
2. A lock of hair, either natural or in a wig, 
long enough to lie on the forehead, but some- 
times erect or brushed up, worn by both ladies 
and gentlemen at various periods until the lat- 
ter part of the eighteenth century. The word 
is still applied in Suffolk, England, to an erect 
tuft of hair. 
Her Majesty in the same habit, her fore-top long and 
turned aside very strangely. Evelyn, Diary, May 30, 1662. 
You must first have an especial care so to wear your hat 
that it oppress not confusedly this your predominant, or 
foretop. B. Jonson, Every Man out of his Humour, iii. 1. 
I have been often put out of countenance by the short- 
ness of my face, and was formerly at great pains in con> 
cealing it by wearing a periwig with a high fore-top, and 
letting my beard grow. Steele, Spectator, No. 17. 
3. Naut., the platform erected at the head of 
the foremast. 
foretopnian (for'top-man), n. ; pi. foretopmen 
(-men). In a man-of-war, one of a number of 
men stationed for duty in the foretop. 
foretopmast (for'top-mast or -mast), n. The 
mast erected at the head of the foremast, above 
the foretop. 
The ship was under royals and foretopmast stunsail. 
W. C. Russell, Jack's Courtship, xxxi. 
forever (f or-ev'er), adv. [Prop, as two words : 
for, prep. ; ever, adv.] A common mode of 
writing for ever (which see, under ever). 
The horologe of Eternity 
Sayeth this incessantly, 
" Forever never ! 
Never forever!" 
Loiujfellow, Old Clock on the Stairs. 
2330 
forevermore (fr-ev'er-mor), adv. [Prop, as 
two words : for, prep. ; evermore, adi\] For 
ever hereafter. 
I am he that liveth, and was dead ; and behold, I am 
alive/or evermore, Amen. Rev. i. 18. 
forevouch (for-vouch'), v. t. To vouch, avow, 
or declare beforehand. 
Sure, her offence 
Must be of such unnatural degree 
That monsters it, or yourfore-vouch'd affection 
Fall into taint. Shak., Lear, i. 1. 
forewallt, [ME. forewal, forwal, < AS. fore- 
weall, < fore-, fore-, + weall, wall.] An outer 
wall. Wyclif, Isa. xxvi. 1 (Purv.). 
forewardH (for'ward), a. A rare and obsolete 
(but more original) form of forward 1 . 
foreward 1 t (for'ward), w. [< ME. foreword, for- 
iriird; < foreword^, a.] TI 
the advance. 
rhe van; the front; 
After the/orewarde com the cartage and the prayes that 
was grete, and hem condited Adax with x>i men, and after 
in the rerewarde com Orienx. Merlin (E. E. T. 8.), ii. 276. 
My foreward shall be drawn out all in length, 
Consisting equally of horse and foot. 
SAa*., Rich. III., v. 8. 
fore war d 2 t, . See forward?. 
forewarn (for-warn'), v. t. To warn, admonish, 
or advise beforehand ; give previous notice to. 
forfeit 
or of a department in a shop, etc. Compare 
foreman. 
foreword (for'werd), . [< fore- 1 + word, after 
(jr. vorwort (= D. voorwoord = Dan. forord = 
Sw. forord), preface, < vor, = E. fore'-, + wort 
= E. word.] A preface or introduction to a lit- 
evary work : a word seldom used. 
foreworld (for'werld), . [= G. voricclt = Dan. 
forverden = Sw. fomrerld; as fore- 1 -t- world.] 
A previous world or state of the world ; specifi- 
cally, the world before the flood. [Poetical.] 
It were as wise to bring from Ararat 
The/ore-wortd s wood to build the magic pile. 
Southey, Thalaba, ix. 
foreyard 1 (for'yard), n. [< fore- 1 + yard 1 .] 
Naut., the lower yard on the foremast of a 
square-rigged vessel. 
foreyard' 2 t (for'yard), . [< ME. forgerd; < 
fore- 1 + yard 2 .] The yard or court in front 
of a house ; a front yard. 
Caste thou out the/orjerd [porche, Oxf.] that is without 
the temple. Wyclif, Apoc. xi. 2 (Purv.). 
forfaintt.o. [Imprpp./ore/am; <for- 1 + faint.] 
Very faint ; languishing ; pitiful. 
And with that word of sorrow, all forefaint 
She looked up. 
Sackmlle, Ind. to Mir. for Mags., st. 15. 
Young Chonebus . . . 
[Had] lately brought his troops to Priam's aid; 
forfairn (for-farn'), p. a. [Sc., also forefairn 
Forewarn-d in vain by the prophetick maid. ' . ME : f^en) ; pp. of forfare, q. v.] For- 
Dryden, JKneid, ii. 464. lorn ; destitute ; worn out ; jaded. 
This day I forewarn thee of death and disgrace. 
E. W. Lane, Modern Egyptians, II. 164. 
forewarning (for-war'ning), n. [Verbal n. of 
forewarn, v.] A premonition. 
Sometimes God orders things so as a sin is made a great 
sin by tsuch forewamings ; so he contrived circumstances 
in Judas his sinning. Goodwin, Works, III. 523. 
forewastet, v. t. Seeforwaste. 
foreway (for'wa), n. A highroad. Hattiwell. 
[North. Eng.] 
forewearyt, " * Seeforweary. 
foreweept (for-wep'), . t. To weep before; 
usher in with weeping. Davies. 
The sky in sullen drops of rain 
Forewept the morn. 
Churchill, The Duellist, i. 155. 
foreweigh (for-wa'), v. t. To estimate in ad- 
vance ; count the cost of beforehand. 
Where each indulgence wa&foreweighed with care, 
And the grand maxims were to save and spare. 
Crabbe, Works, IV. 98. 
forewetingt, n. Same a,sforewitting. 
fore wind (for' wind), n. 1. A wind that blows 
a vessel forward on her course ; a fair wind. 
Give us your fore-windy fairly, fill our wings, 
And steer us right. Fletcher, Mad Lover, Prol. 
Long sail'd I on smooth seas, byforewindi borne. 
Sandys, Paraphrase of Job, p. 25. 
2. The leader of a gang of reapers. [Prov. 
Eng.] 
fore-wing (for'wing), n. In entom., one of the 
anterior wings of an insect : often used for the 
tegmina of Orthoptera, the hemielytra of He- 
iniptera, and even for the elytra of Coleoptera, 
all of these being modified anterior wings. 
[Pronerly written as two words.] 
forewish (for-wish' ), v. t. To wish beforehand. 
The wiser sort ceased not to do what in them lay to pro- 
cure that the good commonly forewished might in time 
come to effect Knollei, Hist. Turks. 
forewitt, v. t. [ME. forwiten (pret. forwot, for- 
woot),( AS.forewitan (pret. forewdt), foreknow. 
< fore, before, + witan, know, wit : see fore- 1 
and wit, v.] To foreknow. 
Though God forwot it, er that it was wrought. 
Chaucer, Nun's Priest's Tale, 1. 426. 
forewitt (for'wit), . [< ME. forwit; <fore- 1 
+ wit, knowledge. Cf. forewit, v.] 1. Timely 
knowledge; precaution; foresight. 
Seynt Gregorie was a gode pope, and hadde a gode forwit. 
Piers Plowman (B), v. 166. 
After-wits are dearly bought ; 
Let thy/ore-m'( guide thy thought. Southwell. 
2. [</ore-! + wit, a clever man.] One who puts 
himself forward as a leader in matters of taste 
or criticism. 
Nor that the fore-wits, that would draw the rest, 
Unto their liking, always like the best. 
B. Jonson, Sad Shepherd, Prol. 
forewiteret, . One who foreknows. Chaucer. 
forewittingt, [ME. foreweting, < AS. fore- 
witung, foreknowledge, verbal n. of forewitan, 
forewit: see forewit, v.] The act of foreknow- 
ing; foreknowledge. Chaucer. 
forewoman (for'wum'an), n. ; pi. forewomen 
(-wim"en). The head woman in a workshop 
And tho' wi' crazy eild I'm sair forfairn, 
I'll be a Brig when ye're a shapeless cairn. 
Burns, Brigs of Ayr. 
forfangH, forfengt, . [AS. forfang, also/or- 
feng and forefong, forefeng, a seizing, particu- 
larly in a legal sense, as in def. (cf . MLG. vor- 
vank = ODan. forfang = Sw. forfdng, damage, 
detriment), < forfon (pret. forfeng, pp. forfang- 
en, forfongen), seize, take (= OS. farfdhan 
(pret. farfeng, pp. farfangan) = MLG. vorvd- 
hen = OHG. ftrfahan, MHG. vervdhen, G. ver- 
fangen, refl., be caught, = ODan. forfange, for- 
faa, injure, dupe), < for- + fan, seize, take, 
fang: see for- 1 and fang, r.] In Anglo-Saxon 
law: (a) The seizure and rescue of stolen or 
lost property, particularly cattle, from the 
thief or from persons having illegal posses- 
sion. (6) The reward fixed for such seizure or 
rescue. 
forfang 2 t, [The sense defined rests on an 
entry in Spelman ; Fleta has forfang in sense 
of 'forestalling'; but the word does not occur 
in the AS. laws in this sense, which appears 
to be due to a misunderstanding of forfang 1 , 
taken, as it is in a Latin version of the AS. 
laws, in the sense ' prseventio vel anticipatio,' 
a taking before, < AS. forefon (pret. forefeng, 
pp. forefangen), anticipate, < fore, before, + 
fan, take.] In old Eng. laic, the taking of provi- 
sions from any person in fairs or markets be- 
fore the royal purveyors were served with neces- 
saries for the sovereign. [A doubtful sense : 
see etymology.] 
forfaret, v. [ME./or/are, < AS.forfaran, pass 
away, perish, tr. destroy (= G. verfahren = 
ODan. forfare, perish), (for-, away, + faran, 
fo, fare: see for- 1 and fare 1 . Cf. forfairn.] 
, intrans. To go to ruin ; be destroyed ; perish. 
Whanne they seen pore folk forfare. 
Rom. of the Rote, 1. 5779. 
H. trans. To destroy ; ruin. 
Non synful manne he wille forfare. 
Paraphrase of the Senen Penit. Psalmt (ed. Black), p. 3. 
Thre enmys in thys worlde ther are, 
That coueytez alle men to far-fare 
The deuel, the flesshe, the worlde also, 
That wyrkyn mankynde ful mykyl wo. 
Babees Book (E. E. T. S.), p. 305. 
forfaultt, v. t. [Also forf alt; < for- 1 + fault; 
appar. suggested by forfeit. Cf. default.] To 
subject to forfeiture ; attaint ; forfeit. 
If you be not traitour to the King, 
Forfaulted sail thou nevir be. 
Son<7 of the Outlaw Murray (Child's Ballads, VI. 36). 
forfaultnret, w . [Also forfalture ; < forfault + 
-ure. Cf. forfeiture.] Forfeiture; attainder. 
In the same Parliament Sir William Creichton was also 
forfalted for diverse causes. . . . This forfalture was con- 
cluded, etc. Holinshed, Chron. 
forfeit (fdr'fit), v. [The i has been inserted in 
imitation of the F. -fait, as in counterfeit (ME. 
rarely -feit), surfeit (ME. rarely -fait) ; reg. *for- 
fet, (ME.forfeten, trespass, transgress, tr. lose 
the right to by some transgression, etc., < AF. 
forfet, OF.forfait, pp. offorfaire, < ML. foris- 
facere, transgress, tr. forfeit, < L. forls, out of 
