Dictionary

foretell en · VERB

Pronunciation

• [fɔːˈtɛɫ] (Received-Pronunciation)
• fôr-tĕlʹ
• [foːˈteɫ] (Australia)
• /fɔɹˈtɛl/
• (US) audio
• [fɔɹˈtɛɫ] (US)

Etymology

First use appears before 1400, from Middle English foretellen, equivalent to fore- + tell.

Meanings

1. (ambitransitive) To predict; to tell (the future) before it occurs; to prophesy.
   • Prodigies, foretelling the future eminence and lustre of his character. 1741, Conyers Middleton, The Life of Cicero:
   • This was a demise foretold. Fatalistic in the face of a parliamentary impasse, Mr. Bayrou had, even before the debate began, invited his entourage to a “convivial moment,” or farewell soirée, this evening. 2025 September 8, Roger Cohen, “French Prime Minister Bayrou Loses Confidence Vote, Putting Pressure on Macron”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC:
   • Deeds then undone me faithful tongue foretold. 1725–1726, Homer, “Book 2”, in [William Broome, Elijah Fenton, Alexander Pope], transl., The Odyssey of Homer. […], London: […] Bernard Lintot, →OCLC:
2. (transitive) To tell (a person) of the future.
   • […] there came to him a Person named Saul, whom Samuel had never before seen; but God made him know it was the same he had foretold him of. 1739, Edward Button, Rudiments of Ancient History:

Forms

Deriveds

foretellable · foreteller

Relateds

forecast · foresee · foretale · forewarn

Synonyms

foresay · forespeak

Translations (65)

de vorhersagen (to predict the future) · fi nähdä ennalta (to predict the future) · gl prever (to predict the future) · it prevedere (to predict the future) · et ette kuulutama (to predict the future) · eo antaŭanonci (to predict the future) · la ōminor (to predict the future) · sga do·airngir (to predict the future) · mi matakite (to predict the future) · ast adivinar (to predict the future) · sv förutspå (to predict the future) · de wahrsagen (to predict the future) · ast augurar (to predict the future) · ar تَنَبَّأَ (to predict the future) · et ennustama (to predict the future) · ja 予言するa (to predict the future) · grc προθεσπίζω (to predict the future) · cs prorokovat (to predict the future) · la praedico (to predict the future) · id meramal (to predict the future) · pl przepowiadać (to predict the future) · ga tairngir (to predict the future) · egy s-r-E27-A2 (to predict the future) · gl adiviñar (to predict the future) · fi ennustaa (to predict the future) · ru предска́зывать (to predict the future) · hi पेशगोई करना (to predict the future) · da forudsige (to predict the future) · hi आगम बाँधना (to predict the future) · hi पूर्वकथन करना (to predict the future) · sga do·aurchain (to predict the future) · id meramalkan (to predict the future) · nl voorspellen (to predict the future) · mk претскаже (to predict the future) · es vaticinar (to predict the future) · hi भविष्यवाणी करना (to predict the future) · grc θεσπίζω (to predict the future) · es pronosticar (to predict the future) · bg предричам (to predict the future) · es predecir (to predict the future) · cs předpovídat (to predict the future) · ga tuar (to predict the future) · pl przepowiedzieć (to predict the future) · fr prédire (to predict the future) · km ចាប់យាម (to predict the future) · it predire (to predict the future) · pt prever (to predict the future) · sv förutsäga (to predict the future) · got 𐍆𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌰𐌲𐌰𐍄𐌴𐌹𐌷𐌰𐌽 (to predict the future) · vi tiên tri (to predict the future) · sk veštiť (to predict the future) · mi poropiti (to predict the future) · la praeloquor (to predict the future) · hu megjósol (to predict the future) · gl predicir (to predict the future) · la cano (to predict the future) · la vaticinor (to predict the future) · de weissagen (to predict the future) · la divino (to predict the future) · no forutsi (to predict the future) · vo büosagön (to predict the future) · bg предсказвам (to predict the future) · wyi toombadinin twarn (to predict the future) · ar تَكَهَّنَ (to predict the future) · cs věštit (to predict the future)