† forne, adv., a., and prep. Obs.
Forms: 1 foran, forn(e, 3 foren, 3–5 forn, Orm. forrn, 4–7 forne.
[OE. foran (Northumb. fora), forne adv. = OS. foran, forana, OHG. forna (MHG., mod.Ger. vorne, vorn); f. root of for, fore adv.
The adj. appears to be an English development from the adv., and not an adoption of the ON. forn ancient.]
A. adv.
1. With respect to place. a. Of position: In front, before the eyes; in or on the front, opp. to behind. b. Of motion: Forwards, to the front.
| a. a 1000 Riddles liv. 8 (Gr.) Wonnum hyrstum Foran ᵹefrætwed. c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 4361 Þat host abod behynde & forn. a 1400–50 Alexander 3925 Þis breme best bare..Before forne in þe fronte thre fell tyndis. |
| b. c 1000 Daniel 557 (Gr.) Þæt þæt treow sceolde telgum besnæded foran afeallan. c 1205 Lay. 26899 And ten þusend hehte aneouste foren wenden. 1430 Lydg. Chron. Troy iii. xxii, He rode forne Brenning full hote. |
2. With respect to time:
a. Formerly; in former time.
b. Thenceforward, in future.
| 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 2422 Þes wer forne þe freest þat folȝeð alle þe sele. 14.. Trentalle S. Gregorii in Tundale's Vis. (1843) 80 For pynes thar hym dred non forne Of purgatory no of helle. |
3. Prefixed to prepositions, and
occas. to another adverb:
a. Prefixed to
again,
against,
adv. and
prep.: Right in front.
b. forne an, at: before, in front of.
c. forne in: straight before.
d. forne to: before, both of place and time.
e. forne on: right forward, seriatim.
| c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Matt. xxi. 2 Farað on þæt castel þæt foran [c 1160 Hatton foren] onᵹen eow ys. c 1200 Ormin 553 Þeȝȝ tokenn eft forrnon To serrfenn wukemalumm. c 1205 Lay. 20120 Up bræid Arður his sceld foren to his breosten. Ibid. 23968 His hereburne gon to falsie, foren an his hafde. Ibid. 24032 Arður beh to þan ȝæte, forn at þere burȝe. Ibid. 29269 And foren to þære nihte fur þer on brohte. 1388 Wyclif Mark xv. 39 The centurien that stood forn aȝens siȝ, that [etc.]. c 1400 Destr. Troy 7759 There met hym þis Mawhown..Euyn forne in his face. |
B. adj. a. Of place: Anterior, front.
b. Of time: Former.
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 172/2 Forne parte of a schyppe, or forschyppe. 1485 Caxton Trevisa's Higden ii. i. 71 a, From the begynnyng of his forne dedes. 1565 Jewel Def. Apol. (1611) 340 It was true in Old forne yeeres, about twelue hundred yeeres agoe. |
C. prep. a. Of motion: Before, in front of, in advance of.
| O.E. Chron. an. 894, Þa for rad sio fierd hie foran. c 1000 [see fore-run]. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 51 Leofe moder swim þu foren me. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 3541 Mac us godes foren us to gon. c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 3649 Þe kyng hem passede with-inne a wyle, Forn hem þe mountance of two myle. |
b. Of position: Before, before the face of, in sight of. Hence of fighting: In behalf of.
| c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 3866 God [bad]..foren hem smiten on ðe ston. 13.. Guy Warw. (A.) 200 Gij stode forn him in þat flett. c 1440 Partonope 2172 To see hym dye me forn. a 1450 Le Morte Arth. 3211 Agaynste her fone I faught hem forne. 1602 2nd Pt. Return fr. Parnass. Prol. 70 Stories of love, where forne the wondring bench, The lisping gallant might inioy his wench. |
c. Of time: Before.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 22429 (Gött.) Forn domes-dai. |
d. Of cause: On account of.
| c 1440 Bone Flor. 67 To mykyll bale was sche borne, And many a man slayn hur forne. |
D. Comb., as
forn-cast v. = forecast v., to premeditate;
forn-father = forefather;
forn-goer, a predecessor;
forn-had ppl. a., formerly possessed;
forn-said ppl. a. = foresaid ppl. a.
| c 1374 Chaucer Troylus iii. 472 (521) He..Hadde every thing that her-to might avayle *Forn-cast. c 1386 ― Pars. T. ¶374 Malice ymagined, avysed, and forncast. c 1400 Test. Love i. Chaucer's Wks. (1561) 290 b, Enuie, forne⁓caste and ymagined. |
| c 1340 Cursor M. 9768 (Fairf.) Þe gilt Adam our *forn-fadir spylt. 1450–1530 Myrr. our Ladye 26 The worshyp of god ys songe..after the maner of oure forne-fathers. |
| 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 258/1 He hath lerned of his *forn goers whiche dyd that ought not to be forgoten. 1382 Wyclif Judges xvi. 28 Lord..ȝeeld to me nowe the *fornhad [pristinam] strength. |
| 1509 Bury Wills (Camden) 109 My lord y⊇ abbot off y⊇ monastery in Bury *ffornseyd. |