fore and aft, Nautical. in, at, or to both ends of a ship.
11.
to the fore,
a.
into a conspicuous place or position; to or at the front.
b.
at hand; ready; available.
c.
still alive.
[Origin: by construal of fore-as an adj., hence nominalized; fore and aft perh. as trans. of D or LG; sense “before” (defs. 6, 9) perh. continuation of ME, OE fore in this sense, or as aph. form of afore]
O.E. fore (prep.) "before, in front of;" (adv.) "before, previously," common Gmc. (cf. O.H.G. fora, O.Fris. fara, Ger. vor, Goth. faiura, O.N. fyrr "for"); from PIE *per-/*pr- (cf. Skt. pura "before, formerly;" Avestan paro "before;" Hittite para- "on, forth;" Gk. paros "before," para "from beside, beyond," peri "around, about, toward," pro "before;" L. pro "before, for, on behalf of, instead of," prae "before," per "through, for;" O.C.S. pra-dedu "great-grandfather"). The warning cry in golf is first recorded 1878, probably a contraction of before. The forehand tennis stroke is from 1889. Sexual sense of foreplay is first recorded 1929. Foreshadow is from 1577, on the notion of a shadow thrown before an object and suggesting what is to come; forebode "feel a secret premonition" is from 1603; foretell and forethought are both from c.1300. Foreshorten is from 1606; forever (adv.) is first recorded 1670. Forefather "ancestor" first attested c.1300, perhaps from O.N. forfaðir.
Be*fore"\, prep. [OE. beforen, biforen, before, AS. beforan; pref. be- + foran, fore, before. See Be-, and Fore.]1. In front of; preceding in space; ahead of; as, to stand before the fire; before the house. His angel, who shall go Before them in a cloud and pillar of fire. --Milton. 2. Preceding in time; earlier than; previously to; anterior to the time when; -- sometimes with the additional idea of purpose; in order that. Before Abraham was, I am. --John viii. 58. Before this treatise can become of use, two points are necessary. --Swift. Note: Formerly before, in this sense, was followed by that. "Before that Philip called thee . . . I saw thee." --John i. 48. 3. An advance of; farther onward, in place or time. The golden age . . . is before us. --Carlyle. 4. Prior or preceding in dignity, order, rank, right, or worth; rather than. He that cometh after me is preferred before me. --John i. 15. The eldest son is before the younger in succession. --Johnson. 5. In presence or sight of; face to face with; facing. Abraham bowed down himself before the people. --Gen. xxiii. 12. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord? --Micah vi. 6. 6. Under the cognizance or jurisdiction of. If a suit be begun before an archdeacon. --Ayliffe. 7. Open for; free of access to; in the power of. The world was all before them where to choose. --Milton. Before the mast (Naut.), as a common sailor, -- because the sailors live in the forecastle, forward of the foremast. Before the wind (Naut.), in the direction of the wind and by its impulse; having the wind aft.
First\, a. [OE. first, furst, AS. fyrst; akin to Icel. fyrstr, Sw. & Dan. f["o]rste, OHG. furist, G. f["u]rst prince; a superlatiye form of E. for, fore. See For, Fore, and cf. Formeer, Foremost.]1. Preceding all others of a series or kind; the ordinal of one; earliest; as, the first day of a month; the first year of a reign. 2. Foremost; in front of, or in advance of, all others. 3. Most eminent or exalted; most excellent; chief; highest; as, Demosthenes was the first orator of Greece. At first blush. See under Blush. At first hand, from the first or original source; without the intervention of any agent. It is the intention of the person to reveal it at first hand, by way of mouth, to yourself. --Dickens. First coat (Plastering), the solid foundation of coarse stuff, on which the rest is placed; it is thick, and crossed with lines, so as to give a bond for the next coat. First day, Sunday; -- so called by the Friends. First floor. (a) The ground floor. [U.S.] (b) The floor next above the ground floor. [Eng.] Firstfruit or fruits. (a) The fruits of the season earliest gathered. (b) (Feudal Law) One year's profits of lands belonging to the king on the death of a tenant who held directly from him. (c) (Eng. Eccl. Law) The first year's whole profits of a benefice or spiritual living. (d) The earliest effects or results. See, Father, what first fruits on earth are sprung From thy implanted grace in man! --Milton. First mate, an officer in a merchant vessel next in rank to the captain. First name, same as Christian name. See under Name, n. First officer (Naut.), in the merchant service, same as First mate (above). First sergeant (Mil.), the ranking non-commissioned officer in a company; the orderly sergeant. --Farrow. First watch (Naut.), the watch from eight to twelve at midnight; also, the men on duty during that time. First water, the highest quality or purest luster; -- said of gems, especially of diamond and pearls. Syn: Primary; primordial; primitive; primeval; pristine; highest; chief; principal; foremost.
For\, prep. [AS. for, fore; akin to OS. for, fora, furi, D. voor, OHG. fora, G. vor, OHG. furi, G. f["u]r, Icel. fyrir, Sw. f["o]r, Dan. for, adv. f["o]r, Goth. fa['u]r, fa['u]ra, L. pro, Gr. ?, Skr. pra-. [root] 202. Cf. Fore, First, Foremost, Forth, Pro-.] In the most general sense, indicating that in consideration of, in view of, or with reference to, which anything is done or takes place. 1. Indicating the antecedent cause or occasion of an action; the motive or inducement accompanying and prompting to an act or state; the reason of anything; that on account of which a thing is or is done. With fiery eyes sparkling for very wrath. --Shak. How to choose dogs for scent or speed. --Waller. Now, for so many glorious actions done, For peace at home, and for the public wealth, I mean to crown a bowl for C[ae]sar's health. --Dryden. That which we, for our unworthiness, are afraid to crave, our prayer is, that God, for the worthiness of his Son, would, notwithstanding, vouchsafe to grant. --Hooker. 2. Indicating the remoter and indirect object of an act; the end or final cause with reference to which anything is, acts, serves, or is done. The oak for nothing ill, The osier good for twigs, the poplar for the mill. --Spenser. It was young counsel for the persons, and violent counsel for the matters. --Bacon. Shall I think the worls was made for one, And men are born for kings, as beasts for men, Not for protection, but to be devoured? --Dryden. For he writes not for money, nor for praise. --Denham. 3. Indicating that in favor of which, or in promoting which, anything is, or is done; hence, in behalf of; in favor of; on the side of; -- opposed to against. We can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. --2 Cor. xiii. 8. It is for the general good of human society, and consequently of particular persons, to be true and just; and it is for men's health to be temperate. --Tillotson. Aristotle is for poetical justice. --Dennis. 4. Indicating that toward which the action of anything is directed, or the point toward which motion is made; ?ntending to go to. We sailed from Peru for China and Japan. --Bacon. 5. Indicating that on place of or instead of which anything acts or serves, or that to which a substitute, an equivalent, a compensation, or the like, is offered or made; instead of, or place of. And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot. --Ex. xxi. 23, 24. 6. Indicating that in the character of or as being which anything is regarded or treated; to be, or as being. We take a falling meteor for a star. --Cowley. If a man can be fully assured of anything for a truth, without having examined, what is there that he may not embrace for tru?? --Locke. Most of our ingenious young men take up some cried-up English poet for their model. --Dryden. But let her go for an ungrateful woman. --Philips. 7. Indicating that instead of which something else controls in the performing of an action, or that in spite of which anything is done, occurs, or is; hence, equivalent to notwithstanding, in spite of; -- generally followed by all, aught, anything, etc. The writer will do what she please for all me. --Spectator. God's desertion shall, for aught he knows, the next minute supervene. --Dr. H. More. For anything that legally appears to the contrary, it may be a contrivance to fright us. --Swift. 8. Indicating the space or time through which an action or state extends; hence, during; in or through the space or time of. For many miles about There 's scarce a bush. --Shak. Since, hired for life, thy servile muse sing. --prior. To guide the sun's bright chariot for a day. --Garth. 9. Indicating that in prevention of which, or through fear of which, anything is done. [Obs.] We 'll have a bib, for spoiling of thy doublet. --Beau. & Fl. For, or As for, so far as concerns; as regards; with reference to; -- used parenthetically or independently. See under As. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. --Josh. xxiv. 15. For me, my stormy voyage at an end, I to the port of death securely tend. --Dryden. For all that, notwithstanding; in spite of. For all the world, wholly; exactly. "Whose posy was, for all the world, like cutlers' poetry." --Shak. For as much as, or Forasmuch as, in consideration that; seeing that; since. For by. See Forby, adv. For ever, eternally; at all times. See Forever. For me, or For all me, as far as regards me. For my life, or For the life of me, if my life depended on it. [Colloq.] --T. Hook. For that, For the reason that, because; since. [Obs.] "For that I love your daughter." --Shak. For thy, or Forthy [AS. for??.], for this; on this account. [Obs.] "Thomalin, have no care for thy." --Spenser. For to, as sign of infinitive, in order to; to the end of. [Obs., except as sometimes heard in illiterate speech.] -- "What went ye out for to see?" --Luke vii. 25. See To, prep., 4. O for, would that I had; may there be granted; -- elliptically expressing desire or prayer. "O for a muse of fire." --Shak. Were it not for, or If it were not for, leaving out of account; but for the presence or action of. "Moral consideration can no way move the sensible appetite, were it not for the will." --Sir M. Hale.
Fore\, adv. [AS. fore, adv. & prep., another form of for. See For, and cf. Former, Foremost.]1. In the part that precedes or goes first; -- opposed to aft, after, back, behind, etc. 2. Formerly; previously; afore. [Obs. or Colloq.] The eyes, fore duteous, now converted are. --Shak. 3. (Naut.) In or towards the bows of a ship. Fore and aft (Naut.), from stem to stern; lengthwise of the vessel; -- in distinction from athwart. --R. H. Dana, Jr. Fore-and-aft rigged (Naut.), not rigged with square sails attached to yards, but with sails bent to gaffs or set on stays in the midship line of the vessel. See Schooner, Sloop, Cutter.
Fore\, a. [See Fore, adv.] Advanced, as compared with something else; toward the front; being or coming first, in time, place, order, or importance; preceding; anterior; antecedent; earlier; forward; -- opposed to back or behind; as, the fore part of a garment; the fore part of the day; the fore and of a wagon. The free will of the subject is preserved, while it is directed by the fore purpose of the state. --Southey. Note: Fore is much used adjectively or in composition. Fore bay, a reservoir or canal between a mill race and a water wheel; the discharging end of a pond or mill race. Fore body (Shipbuilding), the part of a ship forward of the largest cross-section, distinguisched from middle body abd after body. Fore boot, a receptacle in the front of a vehicle, for stowing baggage, etc. Fore bow, the pommel of a saddle. --Knight. Fore cabin, a cabin in the fore part of a ship, usually with inferior accommodations. Fore carriage. (a) The forward part of the running gear of a four-wheeled vehicle. (b) A small carriage at the front end of a plow beam. Fore course (Naut.), the lowermost sail on the foremost of a square-rigged vessel; the foresail. See Illust. under Sail. Fore door. Same as Front door. Fore edge, the front edge of a book or folded sheet, etc. Fore elder, an ancestor. [Prov. Eng.] Fore end. (a) The end which precedes; the earlier, or the nearer, part; the beginning. I have . . . paid More pious debts to heaven, than in all The fore end of my time. --Shak. (b) In firearms, the wooden stock under the barrel, forward of the trigger guard, or breech frame. Fore girth, a girth for the fore part (of a horse, etc.); a martingale. Fore hammer, a sledge hammer, working alternately, or in time, with the hand hammer. Fore leg, one of the front legs of a quadruped, or multiped, or of a chair, settee, etc. Fore peak (Naut.), the angle within a ship's bows; the portion of the hold which is farthest forward. Fore piece, a front piece, as the flap in the fore part of a sidesaddle, to guard the rider's dress. Fore plane, a carpenter's plane, in size and use between a jack plane and a smoothing plane. --Knight. Fore reading, previous perusal. [Obs.] --Hales. Fore rent, in Scotland, rent payable before a crop is gathered. Fore sheets (Naut.), the forward portion of a rowboat; the space beyond the front thwart. See Stern sheets. Fore shore. (a) A bank in advance of a sea wall, to break the force of the surf. (b) The seaward projecting, slightly inclined portion of a breakwater. --Knight. (c) The part of the shore between high and low water marks. Fore sight, that one of the two sights of a gun which is near the muzzle. Fore tackle (Naut.), the tackle on the foremast of a ship. Fore topmast. (Naut.) See Fore-topmast, in the Vocabulary. Fore wind, a favorable wind. [Obs.] Sailed on smooth seas, by fore winds borne. --Sandys. Fore world, the antediluvian world. [R.] --Southey.
Fore\, a. [See Fore, adv.] Advanced, as compared with something else; toward the front; being or coming first, in time, place, order, or importance; preceding; anterior; antecedent; earlier; forward; -- opposed to back or behind; as, the fore part of a garment; the fore part of the day; the fore and of a wagon. The free will of the subject is preserved, while it is directed by the fore purpose of the state. --Southey. Note: Fore is much used adjectively or in composition. Fore bay, a reservoir or canal between a mill race and a water wheel; the discharging end of a pond or mill race. Fore body (Shipbuilding), the part of a ship forward of the largest cross-section, distinguisched from middle body abd after body. Fore boot, a receptacle in the front of a vehicle, for stowing baggage, etc. Fore bow, the pommel of a saddle. --Knight. Fore cabin, a cabin in the fore part of a ship, usually with inferior accommodations. Fore carriage. (a) The forward part of the running gear of a four-wheeled vehicle. (b) A small carriage at the front end of a plow beam. Fore course (Naut.), the lowermost sail on the foremost of a square-rigged vessel; the foresail. See Illust. under Sail. Fore door. Same as Front door. Fore edge, the front edge of a book or folded sheet, etc. Fore elder, an ancestor. [Prov. Eng.] Fore end. (a) The end which precedes; the earlier, or the nearer, part; the beginning. I have . . . paid More pious debts to heaven, than in all The fore end of my time. --Shak. (b) In firearms, the wooden stock under the barrel, forward of the trigger guard, or breech frame. Fore girth, a girth for the fore part (of a horse, etc.); a martingale. Fore hammer, a sledge hammer, working alternately, or in time, with the hand hammer. Fore leg, one of the front legs of a quadruped, or multiped, or of a chair, settee, etc. Fore peak (Naut.), the angle within a ship's bows; the portion of the hold which is farthest forward. Fore piece, a front piece, as the flap in the fore part of a sidesaddle, to guard the rider's dress. Fore plane, a carpenter's plane, in size and use between a jack plane and a smoothing plane. --Knight. Fore reading, previous perusal. [Obs.] --Hales. Fore rent, in Scotland, rent payable before a crop is gathered. Fore sheets (Naut.), the forward portion of a rowboat; the space beyond the front thwart. See Stern sheets. Fore shore. (a) A bank in advance of a sea wall, to break the force of the surf. (b) The seaward projecting, slightly inclined portion of a breakwater. --Knight. (c) The part of the shore between high and low water marks. Fore sight, that one of the two sights of a gun which is near the muzzle. Fore tackle (Naut.), the tackle on the foremast of a ship. Fore topmast. (Naut.) See Fore-topmast, in the Vocabulary. Fore wind, a favorable wind. [Obs.] Sailed on smooth seas, by fore winds borne. --Sandys. Fore world, the antediluvian world. [R.] --Southey.
Fore\, n. The front; hence, that which is in front; the future. At the fore (Naut.), at the fore royal masthead; -- said of a flag, so raised as a signal for sailing, etc. To the fore. (a) In advance; to the front; to a prominent position; in plain sight; in readiness for use. (b) In existence; alive; not worn out, lost, or spent, as money, etc. [Irish] "While I am to the fore." --W. Collins. "How many captains in the regiment had two thousand pounds to the fore?" --Thackeray.
Fore"gang`er\, n. [Prop., a goer before cf. G. voreg["a]nger. See Fore, and Gang.] (Naut.) A short rope grafted on a harpoon, to which a longer lin? may be attached. --Totten.
Fore"most`\, a. [OE. formest first, AS. formest, fyrmest, superl. of forma first, which is a superl. fr. fore fore; cf. Goth. frumist, fruma, first. See Fore, adv., and cf. First, Former, Frame, v. t., Prime, a.] First in time or 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.
Fore"sight`\, n. 1. The act or the power of foreseeing; prescience; foreknowledge. --Milton. 2. Action in reference to the future; provident care; prudence; wise forethought. This seems an unseasonable foresight. --Milton. A random expense, without plan or foresight. --Burke. 3. (Surv.) Any sight or reading of the leveling staff, except the backsight; any sight or bearing taken by a compass or theodolite in a forward direction. 4. (Gun.) Muzzle sight. See Fore sight, under Fore, a.
Fore*stall"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Forestalled; p. pr. & vb. n. Forestalling.] [OE. forstallen to stop, to obstruct; to stop (goods) on the way to the market by buying them beforehand, from forstal obstruction, AS. forsteal, foresteall, prop., a placing one's self before another. See Fore, and Stall.]1. To take beforehand, or in advance; to anticipate. What need a man forestall his date of grief, And run to meet what he would most avoid? --Milton. 2. To take possession of, in advance of some one or something else, to the exclusion or detriment of the latter; to get ahead of; to preoccupy; also, to exclude, hinder, or prevent, by prior occupation, or by measures taken in advance. An ugly serpent which forestalled their way. --Fairfax. But evermore those damsels did forestall Their furious encounter. --Spenser. To be forestalled ere we come to fall. --Shak. Habit is a forestalled and obstinate judge. --Rush. 3. To deprive; -- with of. [R.] All the better; may This night forestall him of the coming day! --Shak. 4. (Eng. Law) To obstruct or stop up, as a way; to stop the passage of on highway; to intercept on the road, as goods on the way to market. To forestall the market, to buy or contract for merchandise or provision on its way to market, with the intention of selling it again at a higher price; to dissuade persons from bringing their goods or provisions there; or to persuade them to enhance the price when there. This was an offense at law in England until 1844. --Burrill. Syn: To anticipate; monopolize; engross.
Forth\, v.[AS. for[eth], fr. for akin to D. voort, G. fort [root]78. See Fore, For, and cf. Afford, Further, adv.]1. Forward; onward in time, place, or order; in advance from a given point; on to end; as, from that day forth; one, two, three, and so forth. Lucas was Paul's companion, at the leastway from the sixteenth of the Acts forth. --Tyndale. From this time forth, I never will speak word. --Shak. I repeated the Ave Maria; the inquisitor bad me say forth; I said I was taught no more. --Strype. 2. Out, as from a state of concealment, retirement, confinement, nondevelopment, or the like; out into notice or view; as, the plants in spring put forth leaves. When winter past, and summer scarce begun, Invites them forth to labor in the sun. --Dryden. 3. Beyond a (certain) boundary; away; abroad; out. I have no mind of feasting forth to-night. --Shak. 4. Throughly; from beginning to end. [Obs.] --Shak. And so forth, Back and forth, From forth. See under And, Back, and From. Forth of, Forth from, out of. [Obs.] --Shak. To bring forth. See under Bring.
For"ward\, Forwards \For"wards\, adv. [AS. forweard, foreweard; for, fore + -weardes; akin to G. vorw["a]rts. The s is properly a genitive ending. See For, Fore, and -ward, -wards.] Toward a part or place before or in front; onward; in advance; progressively; -- opposed to backward.
Peak\, n. [OE. pek, AS. peac, perh of Celtic origin; cf. Ir. peac a sharp-pointed thing. Cf. Pike.]1. A point; the sharp end or top of anything that terminates in a point; as, the peak, or front, of a cap. "Run your beard into a peak." --Beau. & Fl. 2. The top, or one of the tops, of a hill, mountain, or range, ending in a point; often, the whole hill or mountain, esp. when isolated; as, the Peak of Teneriffe. Silent upon a peak in Darien. --Keats. 3. (Naut.) (a) The upper aftermost corner of a fore-and-aft sail; -- used in many combinations; as, peak-halyards, peak-brails, etc. (b) The narrow part of a vessel's bow, or the hold within it. (c) The extremity of an anchor fluke; the bill. [In the last sense written also pea and pee.] Fore peak. (Naut.) See under Fore.
Sail\, n. [OE. seil, AS. segel, segl; akin to D. zeil, OHG. segal, G. & Sw. segel, Icel. segl, Dan. seil. [root] 153.]1. An extent of canvas or other fabric by means of which the wind is made serviceable as a power for propelling vessels through the water. Behoves him now both sail and oar. --Milton. 2. Anything resembling a sail, or regarded as a sail. 3. A wing; a van. [Poetic] Like an eagle soaring To weather his broad sails. --Spenser. 4. The extended surface of the arm of a windmill. 5. A sailing vessel; a vessel of any kind; a craft. Note: In this sense, the plural has usually the same form as the singular; as, twenty sail were in sight. 6. A passage by a sailing vessel; a journey or excursion upon the water. Note: Sails are of two general kinds, fore-and-aft sails, and square sails. Square sails are always bent to yards, with their foot lying across the line of the vessel. Fore-and-aft sails are set upon stays or gaffs with their foot in line with the keel. A fore-and-aft sail is triangular, or quadrilateral with the after leech longer than the fore leech. Square sails are quadrilateral, but not necessarily square. See Phrases under Fore, a., and Square, a.; also, Bark, Brig, Schooner, Ship, Stay. Sail burton (Naut.), a purchase for hoisting sails aloft for bending. Sail fluke (Zo["o]l.), the whiff. Sail hook, a small hook used in making sails, to hold the seams square. Sail loft, a loft or room where sails are cut out and made. Sail room (Naut.), a room in a vessel where sails are stowed when not in use. Sail yard (Naut.), the yard or spar on which a sail is extended. Shoulder-of-mutton sail (Naut.), a triangular sail of peculiar form. It is chiefly used to set on a boat's mast. To crowd sail. (Naut.) See under Crowd. To loose sails (Naut.), to unfurl or spread sails. To make sail (Naut.), to extend an additional quantity of sail. To set a sail (Naut.), to extend or spread a sail to the wind. To set sail (Naut.), to unfurl or spread the sails; hence, to begin a voyage. To shorten sail (Naut.), to reduce the extent of sail, or take in a part. To strike sail (Naut.), to lower the sails suddenly, as in saluting, or in sudden gusts of wind; hence, to acknowledge inferiority; to abate pretension. Under sail, having the sails spread.
There"fore\, conj. & adv. [OE. therfore. See There, and Fore, adv., For, and cf. Therefor.]1. For that or this reason, referring to something previously stated; for that. I have married a wife, and therefore I can not come. --Luke xiv. 20. Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? --Matt. xix. 27. 2. Consequently; by consequence. He blushes; therefore he is guilty. --Spectator. Syn: See Then.
To*fore"\, Toforn \To*forn"\, prep. & adv. [AS. t[=o]foran. See To, prep., Fore.] Before. [Obs.] Toforn him goeth the loud minstrelsy. --Chaucer. Would thou wert as thou tofore hast been! --Shak.
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