forward
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈfɔːwəd/
ipa: /ˈfɔɹwəɹd/
ipa: /ˈfoʊwəɹd/
ipa: /ˈfɔɹəɹd/
ipa: /ˈfoːwəd/
ipa: /foːd/
rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)wə(ɹ)d
rhymes: -oʊ(ɹ)wə(ɹ)d
rhymes: -ɔɹə(ɹ)d
rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)d
homophone: foreword
Forms: form: foreward
form: forrard
form: forrad
form: forred
Etymology: From Middle English foreward, from Old English foreweard (“forward, inclined to the front, fore, early, former”), from Proto-Germanic *fura- (“fore-”), *warþaz (“turned”), equivalent to fore + -ward. Cognate with Dutch voorwaarts (“forward”), German vorwärts (“forward”).
Senses: examples: text: The fire was confined to the forward portion of the store.
text: the forward gun in a ship
text: the forward ship in a fleet
glosses: Situated toward or at the front of something.
examples: text: The forward battalion took a hammering.
glosses: Situated toward or at the front of something.
Situated toward or near the enemy lines.
qualifier: guns etc.
raw_tags: of troops
examples: text: My forward vision is fine, but my peripheral vision is poor.
glosses: Acting in or pertaining to the direction in which someone or something is facing.
examples: text: forward motion, forward thrust, forward momentum
glosses: Acting in or pertaining to the direction of travel or movement.
examples: text: This is an important forward step for the country.
text: The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today. Let us move forward with strong and active faith.
ref: 1945 April 12, Franklin D. Roosevelt, “Franklin D. Roosevelt's Last Message to the American People”, in Library of Congress:
glosses: Moving in the desired direction of progress.
examples: text: The front of the fire engine has backward writing, that can be read in a mirror, as well as forward writing.
glosses: Having the usual order or sequence.
examples: text: The stock price is currently 12 times forward earnings.
text: The price for forward delivery is presently higher than the spot price.
topics: business
commerce
finance
glosses: Expected or scheduled to take place in the future.
examples: text: These students are very forward in their learning.
text: The grass is forward, or forward for the season. We have a forward spring.
text: The most forward bud / Is eaten by the canker ere it blow.
ref: c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:
text: You promiſt Knighthood to our forward ſonne, / Vnſheath your ſword, and dub him preſently.
ref: c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii], page 154, column 2:
glosses: Advanced beyond the usual degree; advanced for the season; precocious.
examples: text: She is a very forward young lady, not afraid to speak her mind.
text: […] the lady conceived the same desires with himself, and was on her side contriving how to give the captain proper encouragement, without appearing too forward; for she was a strict observer of all rules of decorum.
ref: 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC:
text: He said that if one offered himself to be a soldier under him, who was forward to tell what he could or would do, if he could only get sight of the enemy, he had but little confidence in him.
ref: 1859, Henry David Thoreau, A Plea for Captain John Brown:
text: "Would you think it forward of me to kiss you?" asked Tristran.
ref: 1999:, Neil Gaiman, Stardust, pg. 44 (2001 Perennial paperback edition)
glosses: Without customary restraint or modesty; bold, cheeky, pert, presumptuous or pushy.
examples: text: Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.
ref: 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Galatians 2:10:
text: Nor do we find him forward to be sounded.
ref: c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:
glosses: Ready; prompt; ardently inclined; in a bad sense, eager or hasty.
Synonyms: sense: at the front
word: anterior
sense: at the front
word: front
sense: expected in the future
word: forecast
sense: expected in the future
word: predicted
sense: without customary restraint
word: bold
sense: without customary restraint
word: fresh
sense: without customary restraint
word: impertinent
sense: without customary restraint
word: brazen