▪ I. forbear, forebear, n. (Originally Sc.)
(fəˈbɛə(r), ˈfɔəbɛə(r))
Forms: 6 foirbear, 6–7 for(e)beer, (6 forebeerar), 5– forbear, 6– forebear.
[f. for- prefix2 or fore- prefix + beer n.2, lit. one who is or exists before.]
An ancestor, forefather, progenitor (usually more remote than a grandfather).
| c 1470 Henry Wallace i. 21 His forbearis..Of hale lynage, and trew lyne of Scotland. 1578–1600 Scot. Poems 16th C. II. 159 For in this seiknes I was borne And my forebeerars me beforne. 1623 Lisle ælfric on O. & N. Test. Pref. ¶17 Looke back a little to this outworne dialect of our forebeers. 1782 Burns Death Malie 39 So may they [sheep] like their great Forbears, For monie a year come thro the sheers. 1816 Scott Antiq. xl, This Roland Cheyne..was my forbear. 1883 D. C. Murray Hearts I. 53 A yeoman whose forbears had once owned the land. |
▪ II. forbear, v.
(fəˈbɛə(r))
Pa. tense -bore (-ˈbɔə(r)), pa. pple. -borne (-ˈbɔən). Forms: see for prefix1 and bear v.; in pa. tense also rarely 5 forbored, 6 -beared.
[OE. forberan (= OHG. far-, -fer-, forberan, MHG. verbern to restrain, abstain, Goth. frabairan to endure, support); see for- prefix1 and bear v.]
† 1. trans. To bear, endure, submit to. Obs.
| c 1000 ælfric Hom. in Grein-Wülcker Prosa III. 72 Se mildheorta hælend þe swa micel forbær for us synfullum. c 1386 Chaucer Merch. T. 938, I may not..Forbere to ben out of your compagnie. 1570 E. Elviden Newyeres Gift 304 His bounden duetie is For to forbeare the payne. 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. iv. i. 114 b, Hunting..being an..occasion to use men..to forbeare heate and cold. |
† 2. To bear with, have patience with, put up with, tolerate. Obs. (but cf. sense 8).
| c 897 K. ælfred Gregory's Past. xxi. 150 Ðeah hit mon cuðlice wiete, hit is to forberanne. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Matt. xvii. 17 Hu lange for-bere ic eow. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 95 He..forbere monna hufelnesse þurh his liðnesse. a 1225 Ancr. R. 218 Unðeawes, þet he er uorber ase he ham nout nuste. 1340 Ayenb. 148 Þanne þe guode man..bereþ and uorbereþ alneway þe foles. 1413 Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton 1483) iii. vi. 54 The plente of his grace that hath the forborne. 1526–34 Tindale Rev. ii. 2 Thou cannest not forbeare them which are evyll. 1624 Capt. Smith Virginia iii. ix. 79, I haue forborne your insolencies. 1742 Young Nt. Th. ii. 607, I then had wrote What friends might flatter: prudent foes forbear. |
† 3. To bear up against, control (emotion or desire). Also refl. to control one's feelings. Obs.
| Beowulf 1877 (Gr.) Þæt he þone breostwylm forberan ne mehte. a 1000 Guthlac 775 (Gr.) [Hi] firenlustas forberað in breostum. c 1230 Hali Meid. 17 Onont ti fleschliche wil & ti licomes lust þat tu forberes her. a 1300 Cursor M. 24427 (Cott.) Quen i sagh þus all thinges skurn, vn-feland for þair lauerd murn, moght i me noght for-ber. c 1430 Syr Gener. (Roxb.) 5005 His sorow might not be forborn. |
† b. absol. or intr. for refl.
| c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. xxxvi. §1 Hwa mæᵹ forbæran þæt he þæt ne siofiᵹe. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 15 Ne beo þu nefre ene wrað þer fore, ah forber for drihtenes luue. 1297 R. Glouc. (1724) 526 The king ne miȝte tho uorbere, that he ne wep atte laste. c 1300 Beket 72 Hi ne miȝte forbere nomore; And wope also pitousliche. |
† 4. To endure the absence or privation of; to dispense with, do without, spare (a person or thing). Obs.
| c 900 tr. Bæda's Hist. i. xvi. [xxvii.] (1890) 70 Forþon seo æftere cneoris..alle ᵹemete is to forbeorenne & to forlætenne. c 1330 Assump. Virg. (BM. MS.) 60 Þeo þat in þe temple were Ne miȝte noȝt hire forbere. 1469 Paston Lett. No. 607 II. 348 Y{supt} lytyll [money] y{supt} I myght forbere..I haue delyu{supr}yd to Dawbeney. 1477 Ibid. No. 787 III. 175 If Syme myght be forborn it wer well done that he [etc.]. 1562 W. Bullein Bk. Simples 30 a, He is the beste bonde slave in the common wealthe, and least can be forborne. 1667 Milton P.L. ix. 747 Fruits..Whose taste, too long forborn, at first assay Gave elocution to the mute. |
† b. To give up, part with or from, lose. Obs.
| 13.. Coer de L. 419 Hys styropes he forbare. c 1430 Syr Gener. (Roxb.) 146 Sith I haue this hert lorn, And my goode men forborn. 1430 Lydg. Chron. Troy i. vi, She hath for⁓bore Her maydenhead. 1590 Spenser F.Q. ii. i. 53 Whenas my wombe her burdein would forbeare. |
† c. To avoid, shun; to keep away from or keep from interfering with; to leave alone. Obs.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 14560 (Cott.) Þe land o Iude he has for⁓born. c 1386 Chaucer Knt.'s T. 27, I wolde yow haue toold..But al that thyng I moot as now forbere. c 1470 Henry Wallace i. 259 Scho..Forbure the gate for wachis that war thar. 1581 Savile Tacitus' Hist. i. ii, Offices of honour likewise either to beare them, or forbeare them [was a capitall crime]. 1598 Yong Diana 220 Forbeare us a little..for I will not have you beare witnes to the love that I have to impart. 1607 Topsell Four-f. Beasts 755 The beast it selfe liueth euermore in shadowy places, forbearing the sun. 1628 Ford Lover's Mel. iii. ii, Forbear the room. 1673 Temple Observ. United Prov. Wks. 1731 I. 17 The People in the Country forbear the Market. |
5. To abstain or refrain from (some action or procedure); to cease, desist from.
| c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 39 Muneȝeð hem ofte unðewes to forberen and gode þeawes to folȝen. a 1300 Cursor M. 3454 (Cott.) Þat þai moght noght þair strif for-bere. c 1425 Seven Sag. (P.) 355 And I myghte forbere speche, Seven dayes and seven nyght. 1552 Abp. Hamilton Catech. (1884) 30 Forbeare the eting of swynis flesche. 1655 Sir E. Nicholas in N. Papers (Camden) II. 223, I forebore pressing them further. 1722 De Foe Plague (1756) 51 All public Assemblies at other Burials are to be forborn during the Continuance of this Visitation. 1810 Scott Lady of L. ii. xxxiv, Madman, forbear your frantic jar! 1867 Whittier Our Master iv, The strife of tongues forbear. |
6. absol. and intr. To abstain, refrain. Const. to (also † but) with inf., also from, † for, † of.
| c 1375 XI Pains Hell (Vernon) 110 in O.E. Misc. 226 To heere godus wordus þei han for-born. c 1400 Rom. Rose 4751 It is a slowe [i.e. a moth], may not forbere Ragges, ribaned with gold, to were. c 1449 Pecock Repr. i. xiv. 78 Y must here therof abstene and forber. 1529 More Dyaloge iv. Wks. 286/1 On the morow forbare I to speake with hym. 1598 R. Grenewey Tacitus' Ann. iii. v. (1622) 72 The Dictator..forbare somtime for making any more [lawes]. 1658 W. Burton Comment. Itin. Antonin. 8, I cannot forbear but transcribe all of it hither. 1676 Hobbes Iliad i. 402 From War forbear. a 1745 Swift Hen. I Lett. 1768 IV. 278 He commanded his soldiers to forbear. 1751 Johnson Rambler No. 159 ¶6 Few have repented of having forborne to speak. 1787 A. Hilditch Rosa de Montmorien I. 140 De Beaufort, whom Strickland could not forbear of accusing of unwarrantable caprice. 1841 Elphinstone Hist. Ind. II. 315 He would have incurred more blame..if he had forborne from attempting to recover them. 1878 B. Taylor Deukalion i. iv, Forbear! The knowledge must be mine alone. 1879 M. Arnold Falkland Mixed Ess. 234 The lovers of Hampden cannot forbear to extol him at Falkland's expense. |
† b. Naut. (See quots.) Obs.
| 1627 Capt. Smith Seaman's Gram. vi. 27 Forbeare is to hold still any oare you are commanded. 1727–90 Bailey, Forbear [Sea Term], a Word of Command in a Ship's Boat. |
7. trans. To refrain from using, uttering, mentioning, etc.; to withhold, keep back. † Formerly const. from, to, or dat.
| 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 1355 As þe truage to rome þat non vorbore nere. a 1300 Cursor M. 693 (Gott.) Þe scorpion forbar his tunge Fra bestis þat he lay emonge. c 1430 Lydg. Chichev. & Byc. in Dodsley O. Pl. XII. 334 Meke wyfes..That neither can at bedde ne boord Theyr husbondes nat forbere oon woord. 1580 Tusser Husb. xiii. (1878) 29 The west [wind] to all flowers may not be forborne. 1590 Marlowe Edw. II, v. v, Stay a while; forbear thy bloody hand. a 1619 M. Fotherby Atheom. i. ii. §2 (1622) 11 Wee are forced to forbeare the strongest of our Authorities. 1676 Hobbes Iliad i. 206 Hold then. Your sword forbear. 1709 Hearne Collect. 4 Apr., Charlet could not forbear his Venom. 1725 Pope Odyss. i. 437 Forbear that dear, disastrous name. 1808 Southey in Lett. (1856) II. 115 You may repent a sarcasm,—you never can repent having forborne one. 1884 Ruskin Pleas. Eng. 16 note, Gibbon..might have forborne, with grace, his own definition of orthodoxy. |
b. refl. To restrain oneself, refrain. rare.
| 1535 Coverdale Esther (Apocr.) xvi. 12 He coude not forbeare him self from his pryde. 1611 Bible 2 Chron. xxxv. 21 Forbeare thee from medling with God. 1852 C. M. Yonge Cameos I. vi. 42 If it be so, forbear thyself to fight. 1865 Merivale Rom. Emp. VIII. lxviii. 370, I forbear myself from entering the lists. |
8. To abstain from injuring, punishing, or giving way to resentment against (a person or thing); to spare, show mercy or indulgence to. Now rare. Cf. sense 2, to which this closely approaches.
| 1154 O.E. Chron. an. 1137 Ouer sithon ne for-baren hi nouther circe ne cyrceiærd. c 1275 Serm. (Cott.) in O.E. Misc. 188 Þes persones ich wene, Ne beoþ heo noȝt for-bore. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. iv. 430 He..For-bar hym and hus beste bestes. c 1470 Henry Wallace i. 169 No for the Pape thai wald no kyrkis forber. 1513 More in Grafton Chron. (1568) II. 765 His maister gave him in charge not to forbeare his rest. a 1533 Ld. Berners Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546) Q v b, The quycke fire doth not forbeare the wod be it wette or drye. 1606 L. Bryskett Civ. Life 27, I craue to be forborne in this your request. 1618 Raleigh in Four C. Eng. Lett. 37, I forbare all partes of the Spanish Indies. 1665 Sir T. Roe's Voy. E. Ind. 438 That scruple they make in forbearing the lives of the Creatures made for men's use. 1745 De Foe's Eng. Tradesm. (1841) I. xiv. 125 He knows whom he may best push at, and whom best forbear. 1855 Milman Lat. Chr. (1864) V. ix. vii. 357 Those who had so long been forborne in mercy. 1887 Bowen Virg. Eclog. x. 50 Ah, may the splinters icy thy delicate feet forbear! |
† b. Const. of (a thing). Obs.
| c 1275 Passion Our Lord 158 in O.E. Misc. 41 Vader..if hit may so beo, Of þis ilche calche nv forber þu me. 1529 More Comf. agst. Trib. ii. Wks. 1194/1 He would pray God forbeare him of the remenaunt. |
c. intr. (or absol.) To be patient or forbearing; to show forbearance. Const. with.
The proverbial phrase to bear and forbear, now taken in this sense, was orig. trans.: see quot. 1340 in sense 2.
| 1591 Shakes. Two Gent. v. iv. 27 Loue, lend me patience to forbeare a while. 1683 Apol. Prot. France v. 66 He for⁓bore beyond all Patience. 1725 Pope Odyss. ii. 247 With patience I forbear. 1782 Cowper Mut. Forbearance, The kindest and the happiest pair Will find occasion to forbear. 1826 E. Irving Babylon II. 363 He forbore with Austria. 1842 Tennyson Two Voices 218 Some..Bore and forbore; and did not tire. 1852 Mrs. Stowe Uncle Tom's C. xv, She..forebore with his failings. |
9. trans. To refrain from enforcing, pressing, or demanding; not to urge, press, insist on, or exact. Sometimes with double obj. Now rare. † Also intr. with of.
| 1570 Abp. Parker Corr. (1852) 374, I am driven to forbear of my ancient rights. 1583 Whitgift Let. in Fuller Ch. Hist. ix. v. §9 Desiring your Lordships..to forbear my comming thither. 1633 Ford 'Tis Pity iii. ii, Let me advise you here to forbear your suit. 1643 Prynne Sov. Power Parl. ii. 20 That all the Acts of Oxenford, should from thenceforth be utterly forborne and annulled. 1649 Evelyn Mem. (1857) III. 49, I desire you to forbear my reasons, till the next return. 1756 Johnson Life K. of Prussia Wks. IV. 542 The claim was forborn. 1858 Carlyle Fredk. Gt. (1865) I. iii. v. 170 And the Corpus-Christi idolatries were forborne the Margraf and his company this time. |
b. esp. To abstain from enforcing the payment of (money) after it has become due. Now rare.
| 1570 Act 13 Eliz. c. 8 §5 Any Money so to be lent or for⁓born. 1664 W. Haig in J. Russell Haigs x. (1881) 273, I can have a friend here that will..forbear it [money] a year and a half. 1674 S. Jeake Arith. (1696) 577 If an Annuity be for⁓born, the Paiments increase as well as the Interest. 1827 Hutton Course Math. I. 129 The money lent, or forborn, is called the Principal. 1845 Stephen Comm. Laws Eng. (1874) II. 161 Such [debts] as were incurred or forborne by means of fraud. |
| absol. 1856 Bouvier Law Dict. s.v., When the creditor agrees to forbear with his debtor. |