A Concise Dictionary of Middle English from A.D. 1150 to 1580

by A. L. Mayhew; Walter W. Skeat

[ Forager], sb. forager, messenger, PP. Cf. [Forrayour].

[ For-arnen], v. to cause to run about, to ride about; uorarnd, pt. s., S2.—Cp. AS. ærnan (v. tr.), pt. ærnde, pp. ærned. ([For- 1].)

[ For-bathde], pp. pl. bathed deep, S3. ([For- 1].)

[ For-beden], v. to forbid, S, Prompt., S2, PP; forbeode, PP; forbet, pr. s., S; forbed, S; forbadde, pt. s., PP; forbad, MD; uorbed, S2; fforbode, pl., MD; forbude, subj., S; forboden, pp., H, S3, P; forbode, S, PP; forbedun, W.—AS. for-béodan, pt. -béad (pl. -budon), pp. -boden. ([For- 1].)

[ For-beren], v. to forbear, S, C, PP; uorberen, S; forbar, pt. s., PP; forbare, P; forbaren, pl., S; forbore, pp., MD.—AS. for-beran, pt. -bær (pl. -bǽron), pp. -boren. ([For- 1].)

[ For-bernen], v. intr. to burn up, to be destroyed by fire, S; forbrenne, MD; uorbarnde, pt. s., MD; forbrende, MD; for-bernen, v. tr. to burn up, MD; forbærnen, S; forbearne, S; forbrenne, PP; forbrende, pt. s., PP, MD; vorbarnd, pp., S2; uorbernd, S2, MD.—AS. for-byrnan (v. intr.), pt. -barn (pl. -burnon), pp. -burnen, also, for-bærnan (v. tr.), pt. -bærnde, pp. -bærned. ([For- 1].)

[ For-bisne], sb. example, S; uorbysne, parable, S2; forbusne, PP.—AS. fore-bysn. ([For- 3].)

[ For-blak], adj. very black, C. ([For- 1].)

[ For-bode], sb. forbidding, S, P; forbod, S; forbot, S. Phr.: Lordes forbode, it is the Lord’s forbidding, PP; Goddes forbode, PP; Godys forbode, S3.—AS. forbod. ([For- 1].)

[ Force], sb. force; forss, B; fors, B; forse, matter, consequence, PP. Phr.: no forse, it matters not, PP; no fors, S2, C2; no force, ND, HD, S3 (20b, 87); to give no force, not to care, HD, Palsg.; make no fors, C3.—AF. force: Late Lat. fortia. Cp. Cotg. (s.v.): je ne fais point force de cela, I care not for, I force not of, that thing.