† forˈlese, v. Obs.
Forms: inf. 1 forléosan, 2–3 -leosen, 3 -losen, -lesen, 4–5 -lese, (6 Sc. -leir). pa. tense 1 forléas, Northumb. -léos, pl. -luron, 3 forleas, (2nd pers. sing. forlure), 3–4 forles, 6–7 forlore, Sc. forloir. pa. pple. 1–4 forloren, 4 north. forlose(n, -in, 4–8 forlorne, 6–7 forelorn(e, 3–9 forlore, (5 forlo(o)r, 6 Sc. forloir, 8 forelore), 3– forlorn.
[OE. forléosan, pa. tense forléas, pl. forluron, pa. pple. forloren; = OFris. forliasa, -liesa, OS. far-, forleosan, -liosan, OHG. far-, fer-, for-, furleosan, -liosan (MHG. verliesen, Ger. verlieren), Goth. fraliusan; f. for- prefix1 + -léosan, ME. lesen: see lese v.
After 15th c. only in pa. pple., and (rarely) in the new forms, inf. (Sc.) forleir, pa. tense forlore (Sc. forloir).]
1. trans. To lose, in various senses.
| Beowulf 2861 (Gr.) æt þam ᵹeongum..Þam þe ær his elne forleas. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 83 Mon hefde uorloren efre stephne bi-uore gode. c 1205 Lay. 213 Creusa..þe Eneas his fader in Troie for-leas. a 1225 Ancr. R. 246 Þe weorreur of helle mei longe asailen ou, & forleosen al his hwule. a 1250 Owl & Night. 815 An so for-lost the hund his fore. a 1300 Cursor M. 714 (Cott.) To win þe blis he had forlosin. c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. iv. pr. iv. 100 (Camb. MS.) Yif þat a man hadde al for-lorn hys syhte. c 1430 Hymns Virg. 124 Thy honde warke þat þou hast wrowyth, My dere son, forlese hem nowhte! c 1460 Towneley Myst. (Surtees) 188 My right ere I have forlorne. 1581 J. Bell Haddon's Answ. Osor. 322 b, It may seeme we have..forlorne all mercy and compassion. 1600 Fairfax Tasso vii. i, Her feeble hand the bridle raines forlore. 1663 Robin Hood & Curtal Friar xiii. in Child Ballads v. cxxiii. (1888) 124/1 Carry me over the water..Or else thy life's forlorn. |
2. To destroy, cause to perish, cut off.
| a 1000 Cædmon's Gen. 1281 (Gr.) He wolde..forleosan lica ᵹehwilc. c 1200 Vices & Virtues (E.E.T.S.) 73 Gif he [a pot] ðar inne bersteð and brekð, he is forloren and sone ut-ȝeworpen. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 1143 Ðo meidenes..wenden..ðat man-kinde were al for-loren. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 314 Thus they that comen first to-fore Upon the rockes ben forlore. 1560 Rolland Crt. Venus iii. 274 Becaus Diomeid wald forleir The fers Troians. 1614 Sylvester Bethulia's Rescue vi. 175 For the God of Power Th' Assyrian Forces hath this Night forlorn. 1664 Flodden F. i. 2 Worthy Lords by him forlorne. |
b. intr. for refl. To perish, come to nought.
| a 1225 St. Marher. 3 Ne ne let tu neauer mi sawle forleosen wið þe forlorne. a 1225 Leg. Kath. 2254 Nalde nawt godd leoten his martirs licomes liggen to forleosen. |
c. trans. To bring to ruin, put to shame, confound; also, to lead astray to one's ruin. (Usually in passive.)
| c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 5 Forleteð yure synne. þat ȝe ne ben ifunden on sunne and swo forlorene. a 1300 E.E. Psalter cxlii[i]. 12 And for-lese my faas in merci þine. c 1400 Melayne 77 Late never my sawle be forlorne. a 1471 Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 241 Unavysyd clerk soone may be forlore Unto that theef [Simony] to donne obeysaunce. 1578 Gude & Godlie Ballates 193 Lowse me or I be forloir And heir my mone. 1591 Spenser Vis. Worlds Vanitie vi, O! how great vainnesse is it then to scorne The weake, that hath the strong so oft forlorne! |
3. To leave, abandon, desert, forsake.
| c 1460 Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (1866) 97 The order of preesthode he has forlorne. 1590 Spenser F.Q. iii. ix. 52 Her frail witt, that now her quite forlore. 1600 Fairfax Tasso iii. lxxvi, The birds their nests forlore. |
Hence forˈlesing vbl. n., loss, perdition.
| 1340 Ayenb. 156 Uor þet me be-ulyȝt hire folye and hire uorlyezinge. Ibid. 243. |