English dictionary — definitions & meanings

fop

noun

A man who is excessively concerned with his clothes and appearance; a dandy.

fopdoodle

noun

A stupid person; a fool, a simpleton.

for

prep

Intended to benefit, belong to, or be given to someone or something.

for free

adverb

Without any payment being required.

for instance

adverb

Used to introduce an example that illustrates the point just made.

for sure

adverb

Without any doubt; certainly.

for this reason

adverb

Because of the thing just mentioned; used to link a cause already stated to the result that follows.

for what it's worth

phrase

Used before an opinion or piece of information to signal that the speaker is offering it without insisting on its value or expecting it to change anything.

forage

verb

To search for food, especially in the wild.

foraging

noun

The activity of searching for wild food, such as mushrooms, berries, or edible plants.

foray

noun

A short venture or attempt into an activity or area outside one's usual expertise.

forbar

verb

To bar in; to shut up.

forbear

verb

To keep away from; to avoid; to abstain from.

forbearance

noun

An arrangement in which a lender agrees to pause or reduce a borrower's payments for a set period instead of treating the loan as in default.

forbearing

adj

Characterized by patience and indulgence; long-suffering

Forbes

name

A Scottish surname, also known as the name of the American business magazine Forbes.

forbid

verb

To order someone not to do something; to prohibit.

forbiddance

noun

An act of forbidding, prohibition; an official edict against something.

forbidden

adj

Not allowed; prohibited.

forbidding

adj

Looking unfriendly, threatening, or unwelcoming.

forbode

noun

A forbidding, a prohibition; a command forbidding a thing.

forburn

verb

To destroy or damage by burning.

forbus

name

A surname from Scottish Gaelic.

forbush

name

An unincorporated community in Appanoose County, Iowa, United States.

forby

adj

Uncommon; out of the ordinary; extraordinary; superior.

force

noun

Strength or power exerted to move, influence, or affect something.

force majeure

noun

A clause in a contract releasing the parties from their obligations when an extraordinary event outside their control, such as a war, flood or government ban, makes performance impossible.

forced

adj

Done unwillingly or under pressure, rather than naturally.

forceful

adj

Strong and full of power or determination.

forcefully

adv

In a strong, powerful, or determined way.

forcefulness

noun

The characteristic or quality of being forceful

forcemeat

noun

An emulsion of fat and comminuted meat (which has been subject to puréeing, grinding, sieving, chopping finely) optionally mixed with other flavour carriers and either served up alone or used as a stuffing.

forceps

noun

A pincer-like instrument used by doctors and surgeons to grip and hold things.

forces

noun

The military, especially the armed services of a country, collectively.

forcible

adj

Done using physical force.

forcibly

adv

By using physical force; against someone's will.

forcing

noun

The act of making something happen, often against natural resistance.

ford

noun

A shallow part of a river or stream that can be crossed on foot, by horse, or by vehicle.

Fordham

name

An English surname and place name, also the name of a university in New York City.

fording

noun

The act by which something is forded.

fordo

verb

To kill, destroy.

fordrench

verb

To make drunk; intoxicate.

fordrive

verb

To drive away; expel.

fore

adj

Situated at or toward the front.

forearm

noun

The part of the arm between the elbow and the wrist.

forebegotten

adj

Begotten beforehand; conceived previously; foreconceived.

foreboding

noun

A strong feeling that something bad is about to happen.

forecast

verb

To predict how something, especially the weather or the economy, will develop.

forecaster

noun

A person who forecasts.

forecasting

noun

A forecast or prediction.

forecaution

noun

Caution in advance; precaution.

forechoice

noun

The act or process of choosing ahead of time; preselection.

foreclose

verb

To take legal action to repossess property when a borrower has failed to keep up mortgage payments.

foreclosure

noun

The legal process of a lender repossessing property after the borrower stops paying the mortgage.

foreday

noun

Past or former days

foredeem

verb

To judge, form a judgement of, or declare beforehand; foretell; forecast; presage.

forefather

noun

An ancestor.

forefinger

noun

The finger next to the thumb; the index finger.

forefront

noun

The most important or prominent position; the leading edge of something.

foreganger

noun

One who or that which goes before; a forerunner; a harbinger; a predecessor.

forego

verb

To come before; to precede.

foregoing

adj

Occurring before or in front of something else, in time, place, rank or sequence.

foregone

adj

Already certain or decided in advance, leaving no real doubt about the outcome.

foreground

noun

The part of a picture or scene that is closest to the viewer.

foreguess

verb

To guess beforehand.

forehand

noun

A stroke in which the palm of the hand faces the direction of the stroke.

forehead

noun

The part of the face above the eyebrows and below the hairline.

forehold

noun

The forward or front part of the hold of a ship.

foreign

adj

Belonging to or coming from a country other than one's own.

foreigner

noun

A person from a country other than the one they are currently in.

foreknowledge

noun

Knowing beforehand.

forelook

verb

To look beforehand, to preview.

foreman

noun

A person who supervises a group of workers, especially on a construction site or in a factory.

foremath

noun

A first mowing; that which is gleaned from a first or prior mowing.

foremost

adj

Most important, prominent, or advanced; leading.

forenight

noun

The evening time, between twilight and bedtime.

forenoon

noun

Synonym of morning: the part of the day between sunrise and noon.

forensic

adj

Relating to the scientific methods used to investigate crimes or establish facts in a court of law.

forensics

noun

The scientific methods used to investigate crimes and gather evidence for legal cases.

foreordination

noun

Previous ordination or appointment; predetermination; predestination.

forepassed

adj

That has previously passed; past, bygone

foreplay

noun

Physical intimacy before sex that builds arousal.

forerun

verb

To run in front.

forerunner

noun

A runner at the front or ahead.

foresay

verb

To say beforehand; predict; foretell.

foresee

verb

To know or realize something will happen before it does.

foreseeable

adj

Able to be predicted or expected based on what is currently known.

foreseeing

noun

The act by which something is foreseen; a prophetic vision.

foreseen

adj

Predicted or expected in advance.

foreshadow

verb

To suggest (someone or something) in advance; to prefigure, to presage.

foreshadowing

noun

A technique in storytelling in which a writer plants hints early on about something that will happen later, so the eventual event feels prepared for rather than random.

foreshock

noun

A small earth tremor which precedes the mainshock in an earthquake sequence.

foreshorten

verb

To render the image of an object such that it appears to be receding in space as it is perceived visually.

foresight

noun

The ability to think ahead and plan wisely for the future.

foresightedness

noun

The quality of having foresight

foreskin

noun

The fold of skin covering the tip of the penis.

foreskinless

adj

Without a foreskin; circumcised.

forespell

verb

To spell in advance; foretell; make a warning about something upcoming; tell or indicate beforehand; predict

forest

noun

A large area densely covered with trees.

forestage

noun

The part of a theatre stage in front of the closed curtain.

forestall

verb

To prevent, delay or hinder something by taking precautionary or anticipatory measures; to avert.

forestalling

noun

The act of one who forestalls.

forestanding

adj

Standing out in the forefront; prominent.

forestay

noun

A stay that extends from the top of the foremast to the bow or bowsprit of a sailing ship

forester

noun

Someone whose job is managing or working in forests.

forestland

noun

Land covered by trees; forests; woodlands.

forestory

noun

An introductory segment before a story; a preface or prelude.

forestry

noun

The science and practice of managing forests, including planting, growing, and harvesting trees.

foretale

noun

An account or telling given as an introduction to a larger body of work; prologue; a prior or previous recollection or account of events

foretaste

noun

A taste beforehand.

foretell

verb

To predict or announce something before it happens.

forethought

noun

Thinking beforehand or in advance, planning; prior or previous consideration.

foretime

noun

A time previous to the present, or to a time alluded to or implied; former time or times.

foretoken

noun

A prognostic; a premonitory sign; warning or presentiment.

foretop

noun

The top of the head; the top of the forehead.

forever

adv

For all time; without end.

forevermore

adv

Forever; for all time to come.

foreverness

noun

The quality of being forever, of never coming to an end.

foreview

noun

A forward view. Compare with rearview.

forewarning

noun

An advance warning; an omen.

foreword

noun

An introductory section preceding the main text of a book or other document; especially, one written by another person (not the author of the work thus introduced).

forfare

verb

To go to ruin; be destroyed; perish.

forfeit

verb

To lose or give up something as a penalty for breaking a rule or agreement.

forfeits

noun

A game in which forfeits are demanded.

forfeiture

noun

The act of losing property or a right as a legal penalty.

forfend

verb

To prohibit; to forbid; to avert.

forgab

verb

To mock; deride; defame; publish the misdeeds of.

forgather

verb

To assemble or gather together in one place, to gather up; to congregate.

forge

noun

A furnace or workshop where metal is heated and shaped.

forged

adj

Fake or falsified, as with a document or signature.

forger

noun

A person who fakes documents, signatures, or currency.

forgery

noun

The crime of faking a document, signature, or artwork to deceive people.

forget

verb

To fail to remember something.

forgetful

adj

Tending to forget things easily.

forgetfulness

noun

The tendency or state of forgetting things.

forgetness

noun

The act of forgetting, or any property associated with it; oblivion; forgetfulness; obliviousness.

forgettable

adj

Not memorable or special enough to be remembered.

forgetting

noun

The mental process of losing a memory.

forging

noun

The process of shaping metal by heating and hammering it.

forgivable

adj

Able to be forgiven; worthy of forgiveness.

forgive

verb

To stop feeling angry at someone and let go of blame for what they did.

forgiveness

noun

The act of no longer being angry at someone for a wrong they did.

forgiving

adj

Willing and ready to forgive.

forgo

verb

To choose to go without something, even though you could have it.

forgotten

adj

No longer remembered.

fork

noun

A pronged utensil used for eating or serving food.

forked

adj

Divided into two or more branches or points.

forking

adj

forked, crooked or winding

forklift

noun

A small vehicle with two prongs at the front used to lift and move heavy loads.

forlet

verb

To abandon; give up; leave; leave behind; forsake; desert; neglect.