▪ I. forge, n.
(fɔədʒ)
Also 5 foorge, 6 fordg.
[a. OF. forge (= Pr., Catal. farga, Sp. forja, also fragua, Pg. forja):—Com. Rom. *faurga:—L. fabrica: see fabric.]
† 1. Manufacture, construction; style of construction, make, workmanship; = fabric 5, 6. In late use a new formation on the vb. Obs.
| 1390 Gower Conf. I. 78 An horse of brass..Of suche entaile, of such a forge. 1569 J. Sandford tr. Agrippa's Van. Artes 124 b, If it [Husbandrie] did not teache so many monstruouse forges of plantes. 1690 Dryden Don Sebast. v. Wks. 1883 VII. 464 His soft metal..runs in the mould, And needs not further forge. 1691 Ray Creation ii. (1692) 93 In the greater Bodies the Forge was easie, the Matter being ductile and sequacious. |
2. A smithy.
| c 1386 Chaucer Miller's T. 576 A smith..That in his forge smithed plough-harneys. 1484 Caxton Fables of æsop iii. xii, A serpent entyrd som tyme within the forge of a smythe. a 1547 Surrey Descr. Fickle Affect. 24 The hammer of the restlesse forge. 1689 Lond. Gaz. No. 2482/1 In the meantime the Enemies Vanguard attack'd the Village Forge. 1712 Pope Statius 309 The o'er-labour'd Cyclop from his task retires, The Aeolian Forge exhausted of its Fires. 1861 Dickens Gt. Expect. v, Joe had got..his leather apron on, and passed into the forge. |
| transf. and fig. a 1536 Beauty & Prop. Women C j, Rather than to be made in natures forge An angell thou wouldist iudge him, I make auow. 1658 T. Wall Charact. Enemies Ch. 45 The Forge of their own fancies. 1697 Collier Ess. Mor. Subj. ii. (1703) 78 The brain..is the forge in which all the speculations of the understanding..are hammered-out. 1880 Victorian Rev. I. 545 England..became..the great forge and factory of the world. |
3. An apparatus consisting of an open hearth or fireplace with a bellows attached, used by blacksmiths for heating iron to render it malleable; a similar apparatus on wheels for military use.
| 1481–90 Howard Househ. Bks. (Roxb.) 381 For makenge of the belowes to the forge. 1549 Privy Council Acts II. 349/2 Smithes forges complet, ij. 1667 Milton P.L. xi. 564 At the forge Labouring. 1753 Dodsley Pub. Virtue, Agric. i. iii. 164 A ponderous lump..to the hammer tam'd, Takes from the forge, in bars, its final form. 1810 C. James Milit. Dict. (ed. 3) s.v., The cavalry have portable forges as well as the artillery. 1839 Longfellow Village Blacksmith, They love to see the flaming forge. |
| transf. and fig. 1577 Fenton Gold. Epist. (1582) 106 The hearte being the forge whereon our wicked plottes are wrought. 1598 Shakes. Merry W. iv. ii. 239 Come to the Forge with it, then shape it: I would not haue things coole. 1654 Gayton Pleas. Notes iv. v. 198 They..out of their own sparkling forges have found delight and pleasance for the whole time of their stay. 1791 Burke Let. Member Nat. Assembly Wks. VI. 14 All black with the smoke and soot of the forge of confiscation and robbery. a 1839 Praed Poems (1864) II. 130 In laboured phrase and polished lie Wrought by the forge of flattery. |
4. A hearth or furnace for melting or refining metals. Also, the workshop, etc., where this work is carried on.
| 1601 Holland Pliny vii. lvi. 188 The forges and furnaces of brasse. 1674 Martiniere tr. Voy. N. Countries 9 The Forges which are..much of the same nature with the Copper Forges..some separating, some washing, some melting, others refining, and others coining, for..his Majesty. 1796 Morse Amer. Geog. I. 591 Forges to refine pig-iron into bars. 1839 Ure Dict. Arts, Forge..the great workshop where iron is made malleable..a shingling mill. 1874 Knight Dict. Mech., Forge..3 a place where iron is puddled and shingled. |
5. In market reports, short for
forge iron.
| 1890 Daily News 10 Jan. 3/7 Staffordshire forge ranged from 65s. to 70s. |
6. attrib. and
Comb. a. simple attributive, (of or pertaining to the forge), as
forge-bellows,
forge-coal,
forge-furnace,
forge-hammer,
forge-hearth,
forge-house,
forge-iron,
forge-master,
forge-smith,
forge-tongs.
| 1855 Lardner Hand-bk. Nat. Phil., Hydrost., etc. 211 The *forge-bellows. |
| 1892 Daily News 5 Sept. 7/1 For good *forge coal from 9s. to 10s. is asked. |
| 1858 Simmonds Dict. Trade, *Forge Furnace, a blacksmith's open furnace. |
| 1815 J. Smith Panorama Sc. & Art I. 13 The *forge hammer, invented by George Walby of London. |
| 1583 Stanyhurst æneis viii. (Arb.) 137 His hoate *fordgharth. |
| 1633 W. Struther in Spurgeon Treas. Dav. Ps. cxix. 168 A furnace and *forge-house for evil. |
| 1884 Imp. & Mach. Rev. 1 Dec. 6733/1 *Forge iron of North of England brands. |
| a 1628 F. Greville Of Warres xii. Wks. (Grosart) II. 107 These *forge-masters of our woes. |
| 1886 J. Gillow Lit. & Biog. Hist. Eng. Catholics II. 402 A labouring *forge-smith. |
| 1851 D. Wilson Preh. Ann. (1863) II. 84 The rude pair of iron *forge-tongs. |
b. Special comb., as
forge-cart (
Mil.), a travelling forge for service in the field;
forge-cinder (see
quot.);
forge-fire, (
a) a smith's fire; (
b) a puddling furnace;
forge-man, a forger or smith;
spec. (see
quot. 1858);
forge-master, one having charge or ownership of a forge; also
fig.;
forge-mill (see
quot.);
forge-pig, a pig of forge-iron, also
collect.;
forge-roll (see
quot.);
forge-roller, a workman in a rolling mill (?);
forge-scale = hammer-scale (
hammer n.1 7);
forge-wagon = forge-cart;
forge-water, water in which heated irons have been dipped, formerly in popular use as a medicine.
| 1810 Wellington 25 July in Gurw. Desp. VI. 292 The *forge carts of the Royal Dragoons. |
| 1881 Raymond Mining Gloss., *Forge-cinder, the slag from a forge or bloomary. |
| 1855 Kingsley Heroes, Argon. iv. 126 The *forge-fires shone like sparks through the darkness. 1888 Lockwood's Dict. Mech. Engin., Forge Fire..a puddling furnace. |
| 1621 Burton Anat. Mel. Democr. to Rdr. (1657) 63 Smiths, *Forge-men, Brewers, Bakers, Metal-men. 1858 Simmonds Dict. Trade, Forge-man, a superior class of coach-smith, having a hammer-man under him. |
| a 1628 *Forge-master [see forge n. 6 a]. 1814 M. Birkbeck Journey through France 71 The sale of the ore to the forge-masters. 1959 Times Rev. Industry July 75/2 Wire-drawers, forgemasters and other consumers of semi-finished steel products. 1969 Daily Tel. 24 Jan. 4/6 Crankshaft makers and forgemasters. |
| 1738 Chambers Cycl. s.v. Mill, 6 *Forge-Mills turned by water serve to raise and let fall one or more huge hammers. |
| 1839 Ure Dict. Arts 719 The average quantity of fine metal obtainable from the *forge-pigs. 1892 Daily News 29 July 2/4 Northampton forge pig is 43s. 6d. |
| 1874 Knight Dict. Mech., *Forge-rolls, the train of rolls by which the slab or bloom in converted into puddled bars. |
| 1885 Instr. to Census Clerks 92 [Workmen engaged in] Wrought Iron Manufacture..*Forge Roller. |
| 1883 Specif. Alnwick & Cornhill Rlwy. 9 To substitute a portion of *forge scales or cinders. 1940 Chamber's Techn. Dict. 349/1 Forge scale, the iron oxide coating which forms on iron and steel during forging. |
| 1810 C. James Milit. Dict. (ed. 3) s.v. Cart, *Forge-Wagons are travelling machines fitted up for the purpose of assisting the artillery in the field, and in repairing or replacing any iron work. |
| 1725 Bradley Fam. Dict. s.v. Turkey, Let em Drink *Forge Water. 1798 W. Blair Soldier's Friend 23 Half a pint of strong forge⁓water. |
▪ II. forge, v.1 (
fɔədʒ)
Also 5
forgyn, 5, 7
fourge, 6
fordge,
furge.
[ad. OF. forgier (Fr. forger):—L. fabricāre: see fabricate.] 1. trans. To make, fashion, frame, or construct (any material thing);
= fabricate v. 1.
Obs. exc. as coincident with
transf. use of 2.
to forge together: to frame together, weld.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 28395 (Cott.) A-mang myn oþer wark vn-lele haf i oft forged fals sele. 1382 Wyclif Exod. iv. 11 Who forgide the dowmbe and the deef, the seer and the blynde? 1390 Gower Conf. III. 67 Of wexe he forged an ymage. a 1450 Le Morte Arth. 967 There myght none feyrer sayle on flode, Ne better forgid as of tree. c 1475 Partenay 6103 So by hym was made and furged again Off Maillers the church. 1578 Banister Hist. Man i. 9 This same bone..seemeth to be forged with fiue sides. 1624 Heywood Gunaik. i. 17 The image of Victorie most curiouslie forged. 1812 H. & J. Smith Rej. Addr. 3 Forging for this isle a yoke. |
2. To shape by heating in a forge and hammering; to beat into shape;
† to coin (money). Also with
out.
| 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 343 Hit watz fettled & forged & to þe fulle grayþed. c 1477 Caxton Jason 72 b, After thys was ordeyned that ther sholde be forgid moneye in the cite. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon xliv. 148 Cursyd be he of Mahunde that forgyd thy sword. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 364 They forge in Fraunce newe Floreyns wherewith ye shall be payde. 1703 Moxon Mech. Exerc. 28 The Key⁓hole being finished, forge your Key. 1782 Cowper Charity 237 Sin forged, and ignorance made fast, the chain. 1845 James A. Neil ii, Did you ever see a blacksmith forge a horse-shoe? |
| fig. 1601 Bp. W. Barlow Serm. Paules Crosse 39 An opinion forged at the fire of hell. 1682 Sir T. Browne Chr. Mor. ii. §2 If the substantial subject be well forged out, we need not examine the sparks which irregularly fly from it. 1853 C. Brontë Villette xxxvi, Out of men's afflictions and affections were forged the rivets of their servitude. |
b. absol. or intr. To work at the forge; to do smith's work.
| 1382 Wyclif Ps. cxxviii[ix]. 3 Vpon my bac forgeden [fabricaverunt] synneres. c 1386 Chaucer Pars. T. ¶480 In this forseyde develes fourneys ther forgen three shrewes. 14.. Lydg. & Burgh Secrees 2135 Hym to Enfoorme..Why his sone..Sauf oonly to forge wolde take noon informacion. 1605 Verstegan Dec. Intell. ix. 310 The Smith, that forgeth at the fire. 1770 J. Clubbe Physiogn. 43 They can saw, but not plane; they can forge, but not polish. |
† c. to forge and file: to bring into shape, fashion completely, make ready.
Obs.| c 1381 Chaucer Parl. Foules 212 Besyde a welle I say Cupyde our lord his arwes forge and fyle. 1447 O. Bokenham Seyntys (Roxb.) 13 If the crafth of descrypcyoun I cowde..bothe forge and fyle. 1626 T. H. Caussin's Holy Crt. 424 It was in her shop, where all these Councells plotted for his ruine, were forged, and fyled. |
† 3. To frame or fashion (something immaterial); to contrive, devise, invent.
Obs. exc. as in 4.
| c 1400 Destr. Troy 12551, I will tell how..fortune, full fell, forget þere end. c 1430 Lydg. Bochas vi. i. (1554) 145 b, Like your conceites ye forge me and peint. 1562 Winȝet Bk. 83 Quest. To Chr. Rdr., Wks. (1887–8) I. 52 Forgeing thair sermonis for the plesuir of euery auditour. |
† b. To invent, ‘coin’ (a word, etc.).
Obs.| 1549 Coverdale, etc. Erasm. Par. 1 Cor. i. 13 Why then forge ye to your selfes any other name. 1571 Digges Pantom. iii. Introd. Q, To forge newe English wordes. 1605 Camden Rem. (1637) 78 Some thinke it to be no ancient name, but forged by the writer of King Arthurs historie. 1690 Locke Hum. Underst. iii. viii. 230 Those few [names] that the Schools forged, and put into the mouths of their Scholars, could never yet get admittance into common use. |
4. esp. To fabricate, frame, invent (a false or imaginary story, lie, etc.); to devise (evil). Also, to pretend (something) to have happened, to fable.
| c 1386 Chaucer Pars. T. ¶536 In which delit they wol forge a long tale. c 1440 Partonope 4459 Anon she forged a fayre lesyng. 1545 Brinklow Compl. 24 b, Then the matter was forged that he hangyd hymselfe. 1547 Homilies i. Falling fr. God i. (1859) 82 Let no man forge evil in his heart against his brother. 1648 J. Beaumont Psyche xv. cxli, How fine a story they can forge and fashion Of no Materials but Imagination! 1752 Fielding Amelia ii. ii, I..forged a meeting to have been between me and my imaginary mistress. 1794 Godwin Cal. Williams 289 Who had forged the basest and most atrocious falsehoods. 1859 Kingsley Misc. (1860) I. 77 A charge..forged by that villain. 1876 E. Mellor Priesth. vii. 334 Ever listening for words which they could forge into accusations. 1887 Stevenson Mem. & Portraits vii. 110 The hope was one of those that childhood forges for a pastime. |
| absol. 1580 Lyly Euphues (Arb.) 298 A gentleman..whose name I will not conceale, least thou shouldest..thinke me to forge. 1610 A. Cooke Pope Joan in Harl. Misc. IV. 10 They are driven to feign, to forge, to cog. |
5. To make (something) in fraudulent imitation of something else; to make or devise (something spurious) in order to pass it off as genuine.
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 155 Þat was a fals brefe, & forged wele. 1494 Fabyan Chron. v. cxxiii. 100 He then vsyd gyle..and deuysed or forged certeyn letters in the name of Brunechieldys. 1552 Huloet, Forge or falsifie a writinge as chartre, dede, or testament. 1605 Lond. Prodigal iii. iii, You forg'd a will. 1635 E. Pagitt Christianogr. iii. (1636) 94 Many of these their Reliques were forged. 1712 Steele Spect. No. 264 ¶3 He has carried his Skill in Imitation so far, as to have forged a Letter from my Friend Sir Roger. 1741 Middleton Cicero (1742) III. xi. 241 Nothing was more common, than to have sayings forged for his. 1845 S. Austin Ranke's Hist. Ref. III. ii. 47 Elector Joachim demanded..that the name of the liar who had forged this treaty should be published. 1891 E. Peacock N. Brendon I. 81 Forge a pedigree if you haven't one. |
b. To imitate fraudulently; to counterfeit.
| 1535 Act 27 Hen. VIII, c. 2 If anie person..falsely forge and counterfaite the kinges signe manuel. 1677 Wood Life (Oxf. Hist. Soc.) II. 392 Frankland..had forged the University seal. 1887 R. Buchanan Heir of Linne v, As if I had..forged the laird's name. |
6. intr. To commit forgery.
| 1591 Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, iii. i. 12 Thinke not..that I haue forg'd or am not able Verbatim to rehearse the Methode of my Penne. 1738 Pope Epil. Sat. ii. 190 But Pens can forge, my Friend, that cannot write. 1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. IV. 245 He wandered..about Ireland..begging, stealing, cheating, personating, forging. 1885 Tennyson Despair xii, One son had forged on his father and fled. |
▪ III. forge, v.2 (
fɔədʒ)
[Of unknown origin; it has been conjectured to be a mispronunc. of force (cf. dispoge for dispose), or a transferred use of forge v.1, with allusion to the effect of repeated blows of a sledge hammer.] 1. intr. Of a vessel: To make way, ‘shoot ahead’ (
Adm. Smyth),
esp. by mere momentum, or the pressure of tide. Often with
ahead; also with
along,
off,
on; and with cognate
obj. The first
quot. seems, from the elaborate nautical imagery of the context, to be a
fig. example of this sense, though so much earlier than any other known instance.
| [1611 Speed Hist. Gt. Brit. ix. xix. 715 For albeit the Barke of his begunne adventures had without perill well passed the straightes..he feared the gust of euery wind..His inward study therefore still forged..to cleave his passage by taking those dangerous lets away.] 1769 Falconer Dict. Marine (1789), Franchir une roche, to pass over, or forge off from a rock. 1779 Forrest Voy. N. Guinea 23 As she forged on without any sail. 1830 Marryat King's Own xvi, The latter [frigate]..continued to forge in-shore. 1833 ― P. Simple xxxv, The four-decker forged ahead. 1849 De Quincey Eng. Mail-coach, Dream-fugue Wks. IV. 344 Off she forged without a shock. 1886 J. H. McCarthy Doom 20 As the Atlantis slowly forged her way out to sea. |
| transf. and fig. 1861 Sat. Rev. 14 Sept. 280 Presently he drops behind, and I take advantage of the lull in the tempest to forge ahead. 1887 Pall Mall G. 2 Feb. 11/1 Canada is ‘forging ahead’, as they say in the North. 1887 Jessopp Arcady viii. 223 The artizan who forges ahead..is..in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred a born townsman. 1893 F. Hall in Academy 25 March 266/3 No good reason is obvious why our little Tellus, though ever so crank, should not forge along till the year 2000. |
2. trans. (See
quot.)
| 1815 Falconer's Dict. Marine (ed. Burney), To Forge over is to force a ship violently over a shoal by the effort of a great quantity of sail. |
▪ IV. forge, v.3 (
fɔədʒ)
[? From forge v.1 2, with ref. to the sound.] intr. Of a horse:
= click v.