Dictionary

forewarn en · VERB

Etymology

Early 14th century, from Middle English *forewarnen (suggested by Middle English forewarned, forewarning, forewarner, etc.), from Old English forewarnian (“to take warning beforehand; forewarn”), from Proto-Germanic *furawarnōną (“to forewarn”), equivalent to fore- + warn. Cognate with German vorwarnen (“to forewarn”), Swedish förvarna (“to forewarn”).

Meanings

1. To warn in advance.
   • “I came down like a wolf on the fold, didn’t I ? Why didn’t I telephone ? Strategy, my dear boy, strategy. This is a surprise attack, and I’d no wish that the garrison, forewarned, should escape.[…]” 1913, Robert Barr, chapter 4, in Lord Stranleigh Abroad, →OL:
   • And ſure, although it was invented to eaſe his mynde of griefe, there be a number of caveats therein to forewarne other young gentlemen to foreſtand with good government their folowing yl fortunes; […] 1576, George Whetstone, “The Ortchard of Repentance: […]”, in The Rocke of Regard, […], London: […] [H. Middleton] for Robert Waley, →OCLC; republished in J[ohn] P[ayne] Collier, editor, The Rocke of Regard, […] (Illustrations of Early English Poetry; vol. 2, no. 2), London: Privately printed, [1867?], →OCLC, page 291:

Forms

Deriveds

forewarningly · forewarned is forearmed

Relateds

forethought · fore- · foresight · foretell

Translations (12)

sv förvarna (to warn in advance) · pt pré-avisar (to warn in advance) · pt acautelar (to warn in advance) · nl op de hoogte stellen (to warn in advance) · nl waarschuwen (to warn in advance) · it premonire (to warn in advance) · mi whakatūpato (to warn in advance) · la praeclamo (to warn in advance) · bg предупреждавам (to warn in advance) · fr précautionner (to warn in advance) · la praemoneō (to warn in advance) · de vorwarnen (to warn in advance)