From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Harbinger \Har"bin*ger\ (h[add]r"b[i^]n*j[~e]r), n. [OE.
herbergeour, OF. herbergeor one who provides lodging, fr.
herbergier to provide lodging, F. h['e]berger, OF. herberge
lodging, inn, F. auberge; of German origin. See {Harbor}.]
1. One who provides lodgings; especially, the officer of the
English royal household who formerly preceded the court
when traveling, to provide and prepare lodgings. --Fuller.
[1913 Webster]
2. A forerunner; a precursor; a messenger.
[1913 Webster]
I knew by these harbingers who were coming.
--Landor.
[1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Harbinger \Har"bin*ger\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Harbingered}
(h[add]r"b[i^]n*j[~e]rd); p. pr. & vb. n. {Harbingering}.]
To usher in; to be a harbinger of. "Thus did the star of
religious freedom harbinger the day." --Bancroft.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
harbinger
n 1: something that precedes and indicates the approach of
something or someone [syn: {harbinger}, {forerunner},
{predecessor}, {herald}, {precursor}]
v 1: foreshadow or presage [syn: {announce}, {annunciate},
{harbinger}, {foretell}, {herald}]
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