%fors%

v. t. [ imp. Forsook p. p. Forsaken p. pr. & vb. n. Forsaking. ] [ AS. forsacan to oppose, refuse; for- + sacan to contend, strive; akin to Goth. sakan. See For-, and Sake. ] 1. To quit or leave entirely; to desert; to abandon; to depart or withdraw from; to leave; as, false friends and flatterers forsake us in adversity. [ 1913 Webster ]

If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments. Ps. lxxxix. 30. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To renounce; to reject; to refuse. [ 1913 Webster ]

If you forsake the offer of their love. Shak.

Syn. -- To abandon; quit; desert; fail; relinquish; give up; renounce; reject. See Abandon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who forsakes or deserts. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ AS. forsecgan to accuse; pref. for- + secgan to say. ] To forbid; to renounce; to forsake; to deny. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ Pref. for- + shape, v.t. ] To render misshapen. [ Obs. ] Gower. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ Pref. for- + slack to neglect. ] To neglect by idleness; to delay or to waste by sloth. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ See For-, and Slouth. ] To lose by sloth or negligence. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ Pref. for- + slow. ] To delay; to hinder; to neglect; to put off. [ Obs. ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To loiter. [ Obs. ] [ Also spelled foreslow. ]Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ See Slug to be idle. ] To lsoe by idleness or slotch. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. [ AS. forsōð; for, prep. + sōð sooth, truth. See For, prep., and Sooth. ] In truth; in fact; certainly; very well; -- formerly used as an expression of deference or respect, especially to woman; now used ironically or contemptuously. [ 1913 Webster ]

A fit man, forsooth, to govern a realm! Hayward. [ 1913 Webster ]

Our old English word forsooth has been changed for the French madam. Guardian. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To address respectfully with the term forsooth. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The captain of the “Charles” had forsoothed her, though he knew her well enough and she him. Pepys. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A person who used forsooth much; a very ceremonious and deferential person. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

You sip so like a forsooth of the city. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ Pref. for- + speak. ] 1. To forbid; to prohibit. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To bewitch. [ Obs. ] Drayton. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ AS. forspendan to consume; pref. for- + spendan to spend. ] Wasted in strength; tired; exhausted. [ Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

A gentleman almost forspent with speed. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To forestall. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A forester. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

p. p. & a. [ Pref. for- + straught; cf. distraught. ] Distracted. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ See Sweat. ] Spent with heat; covered with sweat. [ Obs. ] P. Sidney. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To swear falsely; to commit perjury. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. Forswore p. p. Forsworn p. pr. & vb. n. Forswearing. ] [ OE. forsweren, forswerien, AS. forswerian; pref. for- + swerian to swear. See For-, and Swear, v. i. ] 1. To reject or renounce upon oath; hence, to renounce earnestly, determinedly, or with protestations. [ 1913 Webster ]

I . . . do forswear her. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To deny upon oath. [ 1913 Webster ]

Like innocence, and as serenely bold
As truth, how loudly he forswears thy gold! Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

To forswear one's self, to swear falsely; to perjure one's self. “Thou shalt not forswear thyself.” Matt. v. 33.

Syn. -- See Perjure. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who rejects of renounces upon oath; one who swears a false oath. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Pref. for- + swonk, p. p. of swinkto labor. See Swink. ] Overlabored; exhausted; worn out. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

imp. of Forswear. [ 1913 Webster ]

p. p. of Forswear. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. State of being forsworn. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

‖a. [ NL. Named after William Forsyth, who brought in from China. ] (Bot.) A shrub of the Olive family, with yellow blossoms. [ 1913 Webster ]