Middle English Dictionary Entry
fō̆rn- pref.
Entry Info
| Forms | fō̆rn- pref. |
| Etymology | Formally a preposed use of forn adv. or forn adj.; semantically, acts essentially as a byform of fōr(e- pref. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Prefixed to participles and nouns to denote several of the meanings of for(e- pref., especially action 'in advance of' (L 'prae-'), but also action 'on behalf of' (L 'pro-' and English for prep.). So ~ cast, = fore-cast ppl.; ~ done, = fore-done ppl.; ~ fā̆der, = fōr(e-fā̆der [q.v.]; ~ fightere, = fore-fightere; ~ goer, predecessor [q.v.]; ~ had, former, previously owned; ~ ordeined, = fore-ordeined [see fōr-ordeinen v.]; ~ said, = fore-said, afore-mentioned. Most of these are treated in MED either as separate entries (generally without specifying the nature of the first element), or under forn adv.
Associated quotations
- 1389 Nrf.Gild Ret.45 : To þe chirche of seynt margare fornseid.
- 1389 Nrf.Gild Ret.48 : Þis fraternite..to fyndyn..þe fornseide lyght.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.4407 : A colfox..By heigh ymaginacioun forncast [vr. aforn cast], The same nyght thurgh out the hegges brast In to the yerd.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.448 : Of malice ymagyned, auysed, and forncast [vrr. affore cast, beforne cast].
- (1418) Grocer Lond.in Bk.Lond.E.195 : He that is owt of towun shall paye als moche as hit is be-Fornseid For the Fornseid mete.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Judg.16.28 : Ȝeeld to me nowe the fornhad [WB(2): formere] strength.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.521 : For he with gret deliberacioun Hadde every thyng that herto myght availle Forncast and put in execucioun.
- a1425 WBible(1) Prol.Mark (CC 145)4.86 : [Dc 369(2): He, prechinge the] forn ordeyned [John, Zakaries sone].
- (1426) Doc.in Morsbach Origurk.15 : The fornsaid Thomas Bangot..To the werk fornsaid.
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)2.171 : The iiij of hem shull makyn the ooth with hym that oweth to doon the fornseyd lawe.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)10/33 : Þis man forsoke hys seruyse & wold no lengar abyden wyth þe fornseyd creatur.
- c1450 How GWife(1) (Lamb 853)200/103 : A forn doon dede Wole anoþer spede.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)81.94 (v.2:p.85) : Crist aunswerid .. and seid, 'Ego qui loquor iusticiam' [Vulg. Is.63.1] : 'I am he which speke rightwisnesse and am a fornfighter [L propugnator] for mennys saluacion.'
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: MED has been notably inconsistent in its treatment of combining elements containing -for(e- and -forn-, both in distinguishing between preposed adverbs and prefixes, and in distinguishing between forms with and without the -n-. Readers are advised to cast a net widely in researching these words. Hence aforn pref. and adv. are given separate entries, alongside entries for afore pref. and adv. The lack of an entry for forn pref. corresponding to forn adv. has been remedied by the creation of the present entry, parallel to the existing distinct entries for for(e- pref. and for(e adv. When it came to bifore- pref. (var. biforn-) alongside bifore(n adv., forms containing and lacking -n- are combined under a single entry, and the same applies to tofore(n adv. and tofore pref. (var. tofore(n). In every case, words and combinations employing these morphemes may be found treated under the prefix, under the adverb, as a separate compound entry, or in more than one place.