forsay en · VERB
Pronunciation
- /fəɹˈseɪ/ (General-American)
- /fəˈseɪ/ (Received-Pronunciation)
Etymology
From Middle English forsayen (“to renounce”), from Old English forseċġan (“to accuse, accuse falsely, slander, speak about, discourse on”), equivalent to for- + say. Cognate Dutch verzeggen (“to deny, forbid”), German Low German verseggen (“to refuse, deny”), German versagen (“to refuse, deny”), Swedish försäga (“to misspeak, say too much”). More at for-, say.
Meanings
-
(archaic) to forbid; to renounce
worldly sovenance he must forsay
1579, Immeritô [pseudonym; Edmund Spenser], “Maye. Ægloga Quinta.”, in The Shepheardes Calender: […], London: […] Hugh Singleton, […], →OCLC:
- (archaic) to deny, gainsay
- (archaic) to forsake
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| forsaid | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| forsaid | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| forsays | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| forsaying | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic |
Synonyms
disavow · disclaim · abjure · deny · renounce · repudiate · forswear · wash one's hands of · disown · disavow · forsay · abjure · forswear