† foren.
Obsolete.
1.
a. A going, journey, expedition. Also, an expeditionary force.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > undertaking > [noun] > an undertaking
forec900
aprisec1320
exploitc1425
undertakingc1425
beginning1481
enterprise1548
apprinze1559
embracement1641
undertake1647
undertakement1678
sashay1900
society > travel > aspects of travel > a journey > [noun]
forec900
wayOE
farec1000
sitheOE
gangOE
journey?c1225
gatea1300
pilgrimagec1300
voyage1338
wending1340
raik?c1350
turna1400
repairc1425
went1430
reisea1450
progressionc1450
progressa1460
race1513
peregrination1548
travel1559
passance1580
dogtrot1856
trek1895
ulendo1921
society > armed hostility > armed forces > the Army > group with special function or duty > [noun] > for expedition
forec900
expedition1693
commando1834
c900 tr. Bede Eccl. Hist. (1891) v. ix. 412 He his fore gegear~wede.
c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) l. 2922 Þe cnihtes weoren on fore fer ut of Rome.
c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) l. 2777 Brennes..mid starkere fore ferde to-ward Rome.
1297 R. Gloucester's Chron. (1724) 386 Wyllam ysey..bote he adde help of hys men, hys fore nas ryȝt noȝt.
c1400 in T. Wright & J. O. Halliwell Reliquiæ Antiquæ (1845) I. 160 Sori is the fore Fram bedde to the flore.
b. A rush, onset, charge.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > attack > charge > [noun]
reseOE
forec1275
shakec1380
birr1382
frushc1400
impression1402
imprint1490
race1535
charge1569
élan1880
charging1887
c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) l. 840 In þera ilke uore [c1300 Otho fore] heo fælden of his i-ueren.
13.. K. Alis. 2355 Theose braken, at one fore, Heore launces on Nycanore.
2. A track, trace.
ΘΚΠ
society > communication > indication > marking > a mark > trace or vestige > [noun] > left by the passage of something
swathc888
forec1250
vorea1387
tracec1420
track1470
rut1552
fore-step1562
cart-rut1601
trail1610
strake1617
cart-ritta1657
cart-ruck1820
wheel-spura1825
wake1851
c1250 Owl & Night. 817 And so forleost þe hund his fore.
c1386 G. Chaucer Summoner's Tale 227 Who folweth Cristes gospel and his fore.
a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1872) IV. 153 Þere were afterward i sene foores and steppes of men and of hors.
1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomew de Glanville De Proprietatibus Rerum (1495) ix. viii. 353 The foores and the sygnes of Somer that is goon is all dystroyed.
3. The course of an affair; a proceeding, adventure.
ΚΠ
c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) l. 7890 Iwhiten þu wult þa uore nu þu hit scalt ihere.
c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) l. 7774 For swa wes al þa uore [c1300 Otho vore].
c1320 Cast. Love 1156 No tonge may tellen of þat fore.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1897; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
foreadj.
/fɔr/ I. As adjective in concord.† 2. Anterior, previous, former. Obsolete.
1. Situated or appearing in front, or in front of something else; usually with an opposition expressed or implied to back, hind-.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > front > [adjective]
furtherc1000
foremostc1275
formerc1384
farther1398
fornec1440
fore?a1513
forme1523
anterior1611
first1647
head1691
vanward1820
leading1825
forwardmost1834
a1513 W. Dunbar Poems (1998) I. 231 Than Bissines..Straik doun the top of the foir tour.
?1548 Order Prince in Battayll muste Obserue A vij b When thou hast invaded thyne enemyes with the fore and hynder warde.
a1639 J. Spottiswood Hist. Church Scotl. (1655) v. 271 The Cannon having made great breaches in the fore and back walls.
1655 W. Gurnall Christian in Armour: 1st Pt. 43 It comes in at the back door, while we are expecting it at the fore.
1678 J. Moxon Mech. Exercises I. vi. 104 In the fore side of this wooden Peece is a square hole.
1715 G. Cheyne Philos. Princ. Relig. (ed. 2) i. i. 13 Resistance in Fluids arises from their greater Pressing on the Fore, than Hind part of the Bodies moving in them.
1762 L. Sterne Life Tristram Shandy V. xxvi. 94 Susannah had but just time to make her escape down the back stairs, as my mother came up the fore.
1805 R. Forsyth Beauties Scotl. II. 192 In the fore wall of the church..there has plainly been an aperture.
1880 T. H. Huxley Crayfish ii. 61 The alimentary canal may therefore be distinguished into a fore and a hind gut.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > relative time > the past > antecedence or being earlier > [adjective]
ererc888
fernOE
oldOE
oldOE
formerc1160
ratherc1330
before-goingc1384
formerc1384
forenexta1400
formea1400
while1399
antecedentc1400
precedentc1400
anteceding?a1425
late1446
whilom1452
preceding?a1475
forne1485
fore1490
heretofore1491
foregoing1530
toforegoing1532
further1557
firster1571
then1584
elder1594
quondam1598
forehand1600
previant1601
preallable1603
prior1607
anterior1608
previal1613
once1620
previous1621
predecessivea1627
antecedaneous?1631
preventive1641
prior1641
precedaneous1645
preventional1649
antegredient1652
senior1655
prevenient1656
precedential1661
antecedental1763
past-gone1784
antevenient1800
aforetime1835
one-time1850
onewhile1882
foretime1894
erstwhile1903
antecedane-
ere-
1490 W. Caxton tr. Eneydos xxiv. 90 The fore loue reneweth hym selfe.
1526 R. Whitford tr. Martiloge (1893) 84 The duke dyd the moost..commun seruyce notwithstandyng his fore estate.
1535 Bible (Coverdale) 2 Esdras vii. 12 The intraunces of the fore worlde were wyde and sure.
1597 T. Morley Plaine & Easie Introd. Musicke 12 The great musicke maisters who excelled in fore time.
1654 Trag. Alphonsus iii. 33 Alexander and Mentz have the fore dance.
1718 Entertainer xxvi. 175 That Place which in a fore Time was Stil'd the Temple of Dagon.
II. quasi-n. or elliptically.
3.
a. The fore part of anything, e.g. the bow of a ship, the fore-quarter of beef, etc.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > front > [noun]
foremostc1275
headc1275
foreparty1398
forepartc1400
foresidec1400
devant1411
fronture1417
fore-endc1425
frontierc1430
forefront1488
forehead1525
frontc1540
vaunt1589
proscenium1648
frontside1697
van1726
fore-piece1788
façade1839
fore1888
1888 Pall Mall Gaz. 16 Jan. 14/1 The sensation was stronger in the fore of sailing vessels.
1890 Daily News 11 July 2/8 American refrigerated hind-quarters..thirds..fores.
b. Nautical. (at) the fore: (see quot. 1883).
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > equipment of vessel > masts, rigging, or sails > spar > [phrase] > at the foremast
(at) the fore1860
1860 J. L. Motley Hist. United Netherlands II. xix. 475 Medina Sidonia hoisted the royal standard at the fore.
1883 W. C. Russell Sailors' Lang. at Fore At the fore, means at the fore~royal mast-head.
4. to the fore: (Scottish and Anglo-Irish phrase, introduced into English literary use in the 19th cent.)† c. to the fore with: in advance of. Obsolete.
a. Of a person: Present, on the spot, within call.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > place > presence > present [phrase]
in (also into, intil, to) present?c1225
in (the) presencea1393
in placea1400
upon the place1600
in evidence1612
to the fore1637
on (also upon) hand (also hands)1835
sur place1915
on-site1946
on the ground1960
1637 S. Rutherford Lett. (1863) I. 363 If Christ had not been to the fore in our sad days, the waters had gone over our soul.
1656 Earl of Monmouth tr. T. Boccalini Ragguagli di Parnasso 416 Some Italian Princes who were yet to the fore, could not be weighed.
1726 R. Erskine Sonn. ii. i. §6 Yield not..The Lion strong of Judah's tribe, Thy Husband, 's to the fore.
1815 W. Scott Guy Mannering III. vi. 101 I wuss auld Sherra Pleydell was to the fore here!
1829 A. M. Hall Sketches Irish Char. II. 15 Why didn't you give it me, and I to the fore?
1852 C. J. Lever Daltons II. xxxv If he hasn't me to the fore to prove what I said, he can do nothing.
b. Still surviving, alive.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > source or principle of life > continuance or tenacity of life > [adjective]
unslowc1000
unslaina1325
unmortificatea1475
unkilled1546
survivanta1575
unmurdered1586
relict1587
surviving1594
survivor1602
superstitea1623
unmassacreda1627
to the fore1695
unslaughtered1719
unbutchered1835
unassassinated1842
unimmolated1855
unmartyred1908
1695 Earl of Cromarty Vindic. Robert III 14 The said Lord John..being to the fore, and on Life.
1724 A. Ramsay Tea-table Misc. (1733) I. 22 As lang's Sandy's to the fore Ye never shall get Nansy.
1787 R. Burns Let. 1 June (2001) I. 121 Gif the beast be to the fore.
1818 W. Scott Heart of Mid-Lothian vi, in Tales of my Landlord 2nd Ser. IV. 128 While this grey head is to the fore, not a clute o' them but sall be as weel cared for as if they were the fatted kine of Pharaoh.
1888 J. Payn Myst. Mirbridge vi The steward..though stricken in years—was still to the fore.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > progressive motion > order of movement > going first or in front > in advance or in front [phrase]
to (the) headward1577
in (the) front of1609
to the fore with1646
in one's van1720
in the first flight1852
1646 R. Baillie Let. 7 Aug. (1841) II. 386 I am now two to the fore with yow, albeit I wrote none the last post.
d. Of money, etc.: Ready at or to hand, forthcoming; available. †to go to the fore: to be put to one's credit.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > management of money > solvency > be solvent [verb (intransitive)] > be put to one's credit
to go to the fore1636
society > trade and finance > management of money > keeping accounts > keep accounts [verb (intransitive)] > be put to credit
to go to the fore1636
the mind > possession > acquisition > [adjective] > obtained or acquired > able to be > easily
on (in) tap1483
to the fore1636
euporistical1657
push-buttona1935
on-demand1962
1636 S. Rutherford Lett. (1863) I. 181 Therefore my wages are going to the fore up in heaven.
1639 R. Baillie Lett. & Jrnls. (1841) I. 152 He had a good estate, and well to the foore.
1640 Dumbarton Burgh Rec. in Irving Hist. Dumbartonsh. (1860) 525 Gif thay had common guid to the foir.
1660 Sharp Let. 11 May in Wodrow Hist. I. Introd. 25 Is his broad Sword to the fore?
1828 W. Scott Fair Maid of Perth viii, in Chron. Canongate 2nd Ser. I. 197 If these are not to the fore, it is the Provost's fault, and not the town's.
1847 W. M. Thackeray Vanity Fair (1848) xxv. 211 How many Captains in the regiment have two thousand pounds to the fore.
e. In recent use sometimes taken to mean ‘in full view, conspicuous’. So to come to the fore occurs for: ‘to come to the front’, ‘to come into view’.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > visibility > [adverb] > clearly visible > in full view
in view?c1475
in the face of1482
on view1800
to the fore1842
1842 R. H. Barham Auto-da-fé in Ingoldsby Legends 2nd Ser. 77 Magnificent structures..As our Irish friends have it, are there ‘to the fore’.
1876 World No. 106. 5 These vermin seldom venture to come to the fore themselves.
1880 Manch. Guard. 23 Nov. The vexed question of local taxation reform must come to the fore next session.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1897; most recently modified version published online March 2021).
foreadv.prep.
/fɔr/ 1.
a. Before, at some earlier time, previously. Also of fore.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > relative time > the past > antecedence or being earlier > [adverb]
erea900
beforeeOE
forec1000
toforec1175
therebeforec1200
toforehand1258
forne toc1275
orc1275
andersitha1300
alreadyc1300
rather?1316
beforehandc1330
erstc1330
aforec1350
theretoforea1375
aforehanda1387
forthwitha1400
forwitha1400
or?a1400
ereward14..
toforetimec1400
aforetimes1429
aforetime1433
afore seasons1463
heretoforetime1481
forouth1487
aforrow?a1513
beforrow1568
paravant1590
antecedently1593
formerly1596
precedently1611
preveniently1633
preallably1652
previously1655
precedaneously1657
somewhiles1657
antecedaneously1661
aft1674
prior1675
anteriorly1681
antecedent1690
previous1712
priorly1742
c1000 Ags. Ps. (1835) lxxvii[i]. 14 [12] He on Egypta agenum lande, worhte fore wundur mære.
a1375 (c1350) William of Palerne (1867) l. 2076 Þe welþe & welfare i haue him wrouȝt fore.
c1390 (?c1350) Joseph of Arimathie (1871) l. 208 Wiþ-outen faute oþer faus as þei fore seiden.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 10938 Elizabeth..Was anna sister, als i for tald.
1488 (c1478) Hary Actis & Deidis Schir William Wallace (Adv.) (1968–9) xii. l. 293 In my mater as I off for began I sall conteyn.
1609 W. Shakespeare Sonnets vii. sig. B2v The eyes (fore dutious) now..looke an other way.
b. Forward or onward, forth.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > forward movement > [adverb]
awayeOE
forneOE
forthc1000
forthwardc1175
furtherlyc1175
toforec1330
forea1400
forwarda1400
furtherwarda1400
avauntc1400
forwardsc1400
onwardc1425
toward1426
forouth1487
up to ——1516
forth on1529
onwards1540
aheada1615
forrita1796
advancingly1820
onwardly1831
forwardly1876
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 18267 Fra nu for, vnderstand þou wele Hu fele pines ai sal þou fele.
2. Beforehand, in advance.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > relative time > the past > antecedence or being earlier > [adverb] > in advance or beforehand
yeteOE
forea1225
beforehand?c1225
alreadyc1300
forrow1489
aforehanda1500
sincea1556
tofore1597
forwarda1604
preventively1646
anticipatelya1677
ahead1835
anticipatively1864
anticipatorily1878
a1225 Juliana 47 Ah wel ich warni þe uore, hit nis nawt þin biheue.
c1500 Melusine (1895) xxiv. 184 To see a remedy be had to it rather to fore than to late.
B. prep. = for prep. in various uses.† 1. † 2. Of time: Before; = for prep. 2. Obsolete.† 3. Before, in preference to; = for prep. 3. Obsolete.† 4. = for prep. 6. Obsolete.† 5. In support of, in favour of; = for prep. 7. Obsolete.† 6. On account of, because of; = for prep. 21a(b). Obsolete.† 7. As a precaution against; = for prep. 23c. Obsolete.
a. Before, in front of, in the presence of; = for prep. 1a, 1b Obsolete.
ΚΠ
OE Beowulf 1064 Þær wæs sang ond sweg..fore Healfdenes hildewisan.
c1300 Beket 31 The manere of Engelonde this Gilbert hire tolde fore.
c1320 Cast. Love 1030 So stille and derne he [Jesus] was þe fend fore.
c1550 Northren Mothers Blessing (1597) vi. sig. E v What man that shall wed the fore God with a ring.
1608 J. Day Law-trickes sig. B4 Y'are..much to rude, To shew this kindnesse fore a multitude.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Winter's Tale (1623) iv. iv. 388 Contract vs fore these Witnesses. View more context for this quotation
b. In asseveration or adjuration; = for prep. 1c.
ΚΠ
a1500 (?a1400) Sir Torrent of Portyngale (1887) l. 744 Fore sen Iame, What ys the gyantes name?
a1616 W. Shakespeare All's Well that ends Well (1623) ii. iii. 46 Fore God I thinke so. View more context for this quotation
1693 W. Congreve Old Batchelour iii. i. 20 No, Foregod I'm caught.
1756 S. Foote Englishman return'd from Paris ii. 34 Foregad I believe the Papistes ha bewitch'd him.
1840 R. H. Barham Ghost in Ingoldsby Legends 1st Ser. 103 'Fore George, I'm vastly puzzled what to do.
ΚΠ
OE Crist III 1030 Sceal þonne anra gehwyle fore Cristes cyme cwicarisan.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 22429 Fore domes-dai þat sal be sene.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Measure for Measure (1623) ii. ii. 166 At any time 'fore -noone. View more context for this quotation
ΚΠ
1594 C. Marlowe & T. Nashe Dido iii. iv I follow one that loveth fame fore me.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Henry VI, Pt. 1 (1623) i. iv. 22 Prizest him 'fore me? View more context for this quotation
a1640 P. Massinger & J. Fletcher Very Woman ii. i. 23 in P. Massinger 3 New Playes (1655) You prefer My safety 'fore your own.
ΚΠ
1463 in S. Tymms Wills & Inventories Bury St. Edmunds (1850) 17 And alle here costez payd fore.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > advantage > for the benefit or advantage of [preposition]
forec900
forOE
fornea1325
c900 tr. Bede Eccl. Hist. (1891) v. v. 396 Þæt he..him fore gebæde.
OE Crist III 1201 Hwæs weneð se þe mid gewitte nyle gemunan þa mildan meotudes lare, ond eal ða earfeðu þe he fore ældum adreag?
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 11291 For to do fore him þat dai, þe settenes of þe ald lai.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Trin. Cambr.) l. 9610 If my sister saue miȝt al þat she wolde fore [Vesp., Gött. for] crie & cal.
ΚΠ
c1175 Lamb. Hom. 27 Þu ne derst cumen bi-foren him fore þine gulte.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Trin. Cambr.) l. 13756 I dampne þe nat þi synne fore.
c1450 Jacob's Well (1900) 45 Þe fals tythere rehersyth aȝen in his fals tythyng þe synne þat crist was do fore to deth.
ΚΠ
c1450 Two Cookery-bks. ii. 106 And holde a dissh vnderneth, fore spilling of the licour.
Compounds
ΘΚΠ
the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > types or styles of clothing > clothing for body or trunk (and limbs) > [noun] > other
kirtlec893
viteroke?c1225
bleauntc1314
surcoata1330
paltock1353
courtepy1362
tunicle1377
gipona1387
juponc1400
petticoatc1425
wardecorpsc1440
placard1483
galbart1488
corsletc1500
truss1563
gippo1617
juste-au-corps1656
fore-belly1663
vest1666
justicoat1669
coat1670
amiculum1722
arba kanfot1738
slip1762
hap-warm1773
aba1792
Moldave1800
abaya1810
saya1811
tzitzit1816
cote-hardie1834
tobe1835
yelek1836
panties1845
cyclas1846
exomis1850
himation1850
jumper1853
blouse1861
peplum1866
exomion1875
confection1885
lammy1886
surquayne1887
bluey1888
fatigue-blouse1890
sling-jacket1900
top1902
sun top1934
sillapak1942
tank top1949
ao dai1961
tank1985
1663 J. Mayne tr. Lucian Part of Lucian sig. Aaa2 I forbear to speake of his stuft Brests, and fore-Bellyes, which make an adventitious, and artificiall corpulency.
fore-dawn n. the time preceding the dawn (also attributive or adj.).
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > day and night > night > [noun] > last hour of night, pre-dawn, or cockcrow
cockcrowc1300
cockcrowingc1384
cocklighta1625
anteluca1696
fore-dawn1884
pre-dawn1930
1884 J. Payne tr. Tales from Arabic II. 33 It was the fore-dawn hour.
1894 H. Caine Manxman v. ii. 283 Sometimes he was up in the vague fore-dawn.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > duration > eternity or infinite duration > [adjective] > before the eternal or infinite in past duration
fore-eternal1587
fore-everlasting1587
eternal1690
pretemporal1798
1587 Sir P. Sidney & A. Golding tr. P. de Mornay Trewnesse Christian Relig. vi. 91 Porphyriie..saying, that there is an euerlasting or eternall Mynd, and yet..afore the same..a Foreëternall or former euerlasting.
†fore-everlasting adj. Obsolete that is or was before the eternal or everlasting; in quot. as n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > duration > eternity or infinite duration > [adjective] > before the eternal or infinite in past duration
fore-eternal1587
fore-everlasting1587
eternal1690
pretemporal1798
1587 Sir P. Sidney & A. Golding tr. P. de Mornay Trewnesse Christian Relig. vi. 91 And that betwene the Foreeuerlasting and the Euerlasting, Eternitie resteth in the middest.
fore-sabbath n. the day that precedes the sabbath.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > period > a day or twenty-four hours > specific days > [noun] > Saturday
SaturdayeOE
seventh dayOE
fore-sabbath1656
weekend1880
1656 J. Trapp Comm. (1868) 415 The Jews..before their sabbath [had] their fore-sabbath.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > direction > cardinal points > South > [adjective]
southernOE
southwardOE
meridionalc1386
austral1398
southly1440
meridian?a1475
meridialc1540
southerly1556
southernly1591
southwardlyc1612
austrian1634
austrine1635
south'ard1671
fore-south1686
southwards1838
1686 R. Plot Nat. Hist. Staffs. ix. 386 The fore-South windows..being cover'd with Matt to preserve the hony.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1897; most recently modified version published online March 2021).
foreint.
/fɔː/, U.S. /fɔr/ Golf.
(See quot. 1878.)
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > golf > play golf [interjection] > warning cry
fore1878
1878 ‘Capt. Crawley’ Football, Golf & Shinty 82 Fore! a warning cry to people in front of the stroke.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1897; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
> see also
also refers to : fore-prefix
<
n.c900
adj.1490
adv.prep.c900
int.1878see also
- whoever
- whoever will or nill
- whoeveres
- whoevers
- whole
- whole and fere
- whole and quart
- whole and some
- whole blood
- whisky jack
- whisky john
- whisky mac
- whisky money
- whisky priest
- whisky rebellion
- whisky ring
- whisky sour
- whisky voice
- whisky-and-milk
- whisky-and-soda
- whisky-and-water
- whisky-bobby
- whisky-brose
- whisky-can
- whisky-cocktail