▪ I. forelock, n.1
(ˈfɔəlɒk)
Also 5–7 forlock.
[f. fore- prefix + lock n.1]
† 1. a. ? Some piece of horse-harness. b. (See quot. 1889.) Obs.
| 1467 Mann. & Househ. Exp. (1841) 408 My mastyr paid for mendynge of a forlokke, j.d. 1889 Cent. Dict., Forelock, in medieval armor, a clasp or catch serving to hold the helm, or in some cases the beaver or the mentonnière, to the gorgerin or breast-plate in front. |
2. A wedge (usually of iron) thrust through a hole in the end of a bolt in order to keep it in its place. Now chiefly Naut.
| 1514 Wigtoft Churchw. Acc. (1797) 209 For y⊇ forlock to y⊇ grete bell, 4d. 1534 Yatton Churchw. Acc. (Som. Rec. Soc.) 149 For forks, forlocks, pynnes to y⊇ bales [bells]. 1613–39 I. Jones in Leoni tr. Palladio's Archit. (1742) I. 103 The Bolts and Forelocks of Fir, that fasten the Timber. 1762 Falconer Shipwr. ii. 273 The forelocks drawn, the frappings they unlace. 1869 E. J. Reed Shipbuild. xvii. 340 The various parts of the work are..temporarily secured..by means of pins and cotters, or forelocks. |
3. Comb.: forelock-bolt, -hook (see quots.).
| 1627 Capt. Smith Seaman's Gram. ii. 5 Fore locke bolts hath an eye at the end, whereinto a fore locke of iron is driuen to keepe it from starting backe. 1769 Falconer Dict. Marine (1789), Cheville à goupilles, a forelock-bolt, or bolt fitted to receive a forelock. 1794 Rigging & Seamansh. 54 Fore-lock-hooks are made of iron, with a long neck and handle. 1874 Knight Dict. Mech. I. 905 Forelock Hook (Rope-making), a winch or whirl in the tackle-block by which a bunch of three yarns is twisted into a strand. |
▪ II. forelock, n.2
(ˈfɔəlɒk)
[f. fore- prefix + lock n.2]
1. A lock of hair growing from the fore part of the head, just above the forehead.
| c 1000 New Aldhelm Gloss. in Anglia (1891) XIII. 37 Foreloccas, antie frontis. 1650 Bulwer Anthropomet. 87 A square forehead, upon which those forelocks of the Hair abide moderately elevated. 1667 Milton P.L. iv. 302 Hyacinthin Locks Round from his parted forelock manly hung Clustring. 1832 H. Martineau Each & All v. 62 There was plenty of bobbing from the girls and pulling of forelocks from the boys. 1878 Besant & Rice Celia's Arb. xxii, All had a word to say to the Captain, touching their forelocks by way of preface. |
| transf. 1619 Bainbridge Descr. Late Comet (1629) 9 This Comets forelock was a better Ephemeris for the Sunnes place then many in great request. |
b. Of a horse, etc.: A detached lock above the forehead.
| 1711 Addison Spect. No. 59 ¶4 The Forelock of the Horse. 1781 Cowper Charity 176 Loose fly his forelock and his ample mane. 1791 ― Iliad xix. 306 The bristly forelock of the boar. 1870 Bryant Iliad I. iii. 94 Clipped away the forelocks of the lambs. |
2. fig.; esp. in phrase to take time, opportunity, etc. by the forelock.
(Suggested by the representation described in Phædrus Fab. v. viii, ‘Calvus, comosa fronte, nudo occipitio,..Occasionem rerum significat brevem.’)
| 1589 Greene Menaphon (Arb.) 65 Thinking to..take opportunitie by her forelockes. 1594 Spenser Amoretti lxx, The ioyous time wil not be staid, Unlesse she doe him by the forelock take. 1639 Massinger Unnat. Combat v. i, I'll take occasion by the forelock. 1775 Adair Amer. Ind. 301, I took time by the fore-lock. 1871 B. Taylor Faust (1875) I. 231, I became a philosopher, to catch..Wisdom by the forelock. 1874 Motley Barneveld I. vii. 213 The occasion..was bald behind, and must be grasped by the forelock. |
▪ III. forelock, v.
(ˈfɔəlɒk)
[f. forelock n.1]
trans. To fasten with a forelock; also with in.
| 1769 Falconer Dict. Marine (1789) Y iij b, Bolts, which..are fore-locked or clinched upon rings. 1839 R. S. Robinson Naut. Steam Eng. 89 The paddle arms..keyed or forelocked there. 1882 Nares Seamanship (ed. 6) 86 A bolt is put through the mast..and forelocked in. |
Hence ˈforelocked ppl. a., ˈforelocking vbl. n.
| 1839 R. S. Robinson Naut. Steam Eng. 85 A crank pin..secured by a forelocking pin. 1874 Thearle Naval Arch. §231. 244 The channel rail is secured to the channel by iron straps, fastened by forelocked bolts. |