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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

foreknow en · VERB

Pronunciation

  • (Southern-England) audio
  • /ˌfɔɹˈnoʊ/ (US)
  • /ˌfɔːˈnəʊ/ (UK)

Etymology

From Middle English forknowen (since Chaucer), a calque from praescio equivalent to fore- + know. Replaced Old English fōrwitan, fōrewitan (“to foreknow”).

Meanings

  1. To have knowledge of beforehand.
    • God hath not reiected his people vvhich he foreknevve. 1582, The Nevv Testament of Iesus Christ: […] (Douay–Rheims Bible), Rheims: Iohn Fogny, →OCLC, Romanes 11:2, page 409:
    • 1652, Eugenius Philalethes, The Fame and Confeſſion of the Fraternity of R: C: Commonly, of the Roſie Croſs; with a Præface annexed thereto, and a ſhort Declaration of their Phyſicall Work (London, Printed by J. M. for Giles Calvert, at the black ſpread Eagle at the Weſt end of Pauls), pages 1–2 of “The Epiſtle to the Wiſe and Underſtanding Reader” Wiſdom…is to a man an infinite Treaſure, for ſhe is the Breath of the Power of God, and a pure Influence that floweth from the Glory of the Almighty; ſhe is the Brightneſs of Eternal Light, and an undefiled Mirror of the Majeſty of God, and an Image of his Goodneſs; ſhe teacheth us Soberneſs and Prudence, Righteouſneſs and Strength; ſhe underſtands the Subtilty of words, and Solution of dark ſentences; ſhe foreknoweth Signs and Wonders, and what ſhall happen in time to come.
    • As it was, three of the oarsmen—who foreknew not the precise instant of the dart, and were therefore unprepared for its effects—these were flung out; […] 1851 November 14, Herman Melville, “The Chase.—Third Day.”, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC, page 630:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
foreknown Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
foreknows Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
foreknew Tense=Past lexicographic
foreknowing Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic

Deriveds

foreknower · foreknowable

Relateds

foreknowledge

Translations (10)

fi tietää ennalta (to have foreknowledge of) · it prevedere (to have foreknowledge of) · fr prévoir (to have foreknowledge of) · bg знам предварително (to have foreknowledge of) · ru предви́деть (to have foreknowledge of) · la praenōscō (to have foreknowledge of) · ru знать наперёд (to have foreknowledge of) · es conocer de antemano (to have foreknowledge of) · pl wiedzieć z góry (to have foreknowledge of) · es prever (to have foreknowledge of)