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An American Dictionary of the English Language

Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)

Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865

Entries
95,912
Pages
1,538
Illustrations
2,133

Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.

  1. Fōre'-gāng'er, n.p. 532(Naut.) A short piece of rope grafted on a harpoon, to which a line is attached when used. Totten.
  2. Fōre-gāth'er, v. i.p. 532The same as FORGATHER.
  3. Fōre-gō', v. t.p. 532To quit; to relinquish; to leave. Stay at the third cup, or forego the place. Herbert. 2. To relinquish the enjoyment or advantage of; to give up; to resign; to renounce;—said either of a thing…
  4. Fōre-gō'er, n.p. 532One who goes before another; a predecessor; hence, an ancestor; a progenitor. 2. One who forbears to enjoy.
  5. Fōre'ground, n.p. 532The part of the field or expanse of a picture which seems to lie nearest the spectator, or before the figures.
  6. Fōre-guess', v. t.p. 532To conjecture. [Obs.] Sherwood.
  7. Fōre'hānd, n.p. 532All that part of a horse which is before the rider. Johnson. 2. The chief or most important part. Shak. 3. Prudence; advantage. And, but for ceremony, such a wretch . . . Hath the forehand and…
  8. Fōre'hānd, a.p. 532Done beforehand; anticipative. And so extenuate the forehand sin. Shak.
  9. Fōre'hānd/ed, a.p. 532Early; timely; seasonable. “Forehanded care.” Bp. Taylor. 2. Beforehand with one's needs, or having resources in advance of one's necessities; not behind-hand; in easy circumstances; as, a forehanded…
  10. Fōre'head, n.p. 532The front of that part of the skull which incloses the brain; that part of the face which extends from the usual line of hair on the top of the head to the eyes; the brow. 2. Unabashedness of…
  11. Fōre'head-bald, a.p. 532Bald above the forehead, or to the top of the head. Lev. xiii. 41.
  12. Fōre-hear', v. i.p. 532To be informed beforehand.
  13. Fōre-hĕnd’, v. t.p. 532To seize. [Obs.] Spenser.
  14. Fōre-hew', v. t.p. 532To hew or cut in front. Sackville.
  15. Fōre-hōld’ing, n.p. 532Ominous foreboding; superstitious prognostication. [Obs.] L’Estrange.
  16. Fōre'-hōok, n.p. 532(Naut.) A piece of timber placed across the stem, to unite the bows and strengthen the forepart of the ship; a breast-hook.
  17. Fōr'eign, a.p. 532[Fr. forain, Sp. forano, foraneo, L. Lat. foraneus, from Lat. foras, foris, out of doors, abroad, without, O. Fr. fors, N. Fr. hors, Pr. foras, fors, Pg. fora, It. fuora, fuori, Sp. fuera, O. Sp.…
  18. Fôr'eign-built, a.p. 532Built in a foreign country. Jefferson.
  19. Fōr'eign-er, n.p. 532A person belonging to a foreign country, or without the country or jurisdiction under consideration; a person not native in the country spoken of; an alien. Joy is such a foreigner. So mere a…
  20. Fôr'eign-ness, n.p. 533The quality of being foreign; remoteness; want of relation or appropriateness.
  21. Fōre'-im-ăg'ine, v. t.p. 533To conceive or fancy before proof, or beforehand.
  22. Fōre-jūdge’, v. t.p. 533
  23. Fōre-jŭdg'er, n.p. 533(Eng. Law.) A judgment by which a man is deprived or put out of a thing; a judgment of expulsion or banishment. Burrill.
  24. Fōre-jŭdg'ment, n.p. 533Judgment previously formed. [Obs.] Spenser.
  25. Fōre-knōw', v. t.p. 533To have previous knowledge of; to know beforehand; to think of or contemplate beforehand. Who would the miseries of man foreknow? Dryden.
  26. Fōre-knōw'a-ble, a.p. 533Capable of being foreknown. Henry More.
  27. Fōre-knōw'er, n.p. 533One who foreknows.
  28. Fōre-knōwl'edge, n.p. 533Knowledge of a thing before it happens; prescience. If I foreknew, Foreknowledge had no influence on their fault. Milton.
  29. Fōr'el, n.p. 533A kind of parchment for the cover of books.
  30. Fōr'el, v. t.p. 533To cover or bind with forel; hence, to adorn. [Obs.] Fuller.
  31. Fōre'lănd, n.p. 533A point of land extending into the sea some distance from the line of the shore; a promontory or cape; a head-land; as, the North and South Foreland in Kent, in England. 2. (Fort.) A piece of ground…
  32. Fōre-lāy′, v. t.p. 533To contrive antecedently. Mede. 2. To lie in wait for; to forlay. Dryden.
  33. Fōre-lēad'er, n.p. 533One who leads others by his example.
  34. Fōre-lĕnd′, v. t.p. 533To lend or give beforehand. [Obs.] As if that life to losse they had forelent. Spencer.
  35. Fōre-lēt′, v. t.p. 533To leave to ruin; to abandon; to neglect. He had purchased those lands which ... lay neglected and forelet. Holland.
  36. Fōre-lĭft’, v. t.p. 533To raise aloft any anterior part. [Obs.] Spenser.
  37. Fōre'lŏck, n.p. 533The lock of hair that grows from the forepart of the head. 2. (Naut.) A flat piece of iron driven through the end of a bolt, to retain it firmly in its place. Totten. To take time, or occasion, by…
  38. Fōre-lōōk’, v. i.p. 533To look beforehand or forward. [Obs.] Spenser.
  39. Fōre'man, n.p. 533The first or chief man; as, (a.) The chief man of a jury, who acts as their speaker. (b.) The chief of a set of hands employed in a shop, or on works of any kind, who superintends the rest; an…
  40. Fōre'māst, n.p. 533(Naut.) The forward mast of a vessel, or the one nearest the bow.
  41. Fōre-mēant′, a.p. 533Intended beforehand. [Obs.] Spenser.
  42. Fōre-mĕn'tioned, a.p. 533Mentioned before; recited or written in a former part of the same writing or discourse.
  43. Fōre'mōst, a.p. 533First in place; most advanced; chief in rank or dignity; as, the foremost troops of an army. That struck the foremost man of all this world. Shak.
  44. Fōre'mōst-ly, adv.p. 533In the foremost place or order; among the foremost. J. Webster.
  45. Fōre'mōth-er, n.p. 533A female ancestor. Prideaux.
  46. Fōre'nāme, n.p. 533A name that precedes the family name or surname; a first name. Selden.
  47. Fōre'nāmed, a.p. 533Named or nominated before; mentioned before in the same writing or discourse.
  48. Fōre-nēnst’, prep.p. 533Over against; opposite to. [Obs.] The lands forenest the Greekish shore. Fairfax.
  49. Fōre'noon, n.p. 533The former part of the day, from morning to meridian, or noon; the first part of the day.
  50. Fōre'nō-tīçe, n.p. 533Notice or information of an event before it happens. Rymer.
  51. Fo-rên'sal, a.p. 533Forensic. [Rare.]
  52. Fo-rên'sic or Fo-rên'sic-al, a.p. 533Belonging to courts of judicature or public discussion and debate; used in courts or legal proceedings, or in public discussions; appropriate to an argument; argumentative; as, a forensic term…
  53. Fōre'-or-dāin', v. t.p. 533To ordain or appoint beforehand; to pre-ordain; to predestinate; to predetermine. Hooker.
  54. Fōre-ôr'di-nāte, v. t.p. 533To fore-ordain. [Rare.]
  55. Fōre-ôr'di-nā'tion, n.p. 533Previous ordination or appointment; predetermination; predestination.
  56. Fōre'pārt, n.p. 533The part most advanced, or first in time or in place; the anterior part; the beginning; as, the forepart of a series. “The front and forepart of his life.” South.
  57. Fōre-páss', v. t.p. 533To pass by or along. [Obs.] Shak.
  58. Fōre'-plāne, n.p. 533(Carp.) The first plane used after the saw and ax; a jack-plane. Gwilt.
  59. Fōre/pos-sĕssed', a.p. 533Holding or held formerly in possession. 2. Pre-occupied; prepossessed; pre-engaged. Any rational man not extremely forepossessed with prejudice. Sanderson.
  60. Fōre-prīze′, v. t.p. 533To prize or rate beforehand. Hooker.