▪ I. forecast, n.
(ˈfɔəkɑːst, -æ-)
[f. next vb.]
1. a. The action, habit, or faculty of forecasting; foresight of consequences and provision against them, forethought, prudence. Now rare.
| a 1541 Wyatt Poet. Wks. (1861) 183 The wisdom and forecast, Which woe to realms, when that the King doth lack! 1644 Quarles Barnabas & B. 243 Give me a wise forecast, that the subtlety of the devil may not entrap me. 1754 Richardson Grandison (1781) I. vii. 109 He has invention, forecast, and contrivance. 1831 Carlyle Sart. Res. (1858) 177 The doctrine, which Swift, with the keen forecast of genius, dimly anticipated. 1838 Prescott Ferd. & Is. (1846) III. xvi. 168 Evils which no forecast could avert. |
b. A forecasting or anticipation; a conjectural estimate or account, based on present indications, of the course of events or state of things in the future, esp. with regard to the weather.
| a 1673 Caryl in Spurgeon Treas. Dav. Ps. cvi. 7 What were these fearful forecasts..but the overflowings of unbelief. 1822 Lamb Elia Ser. ii. Confess. Drunkard, A forecast of the wearisome day that lies before me. 1862 Times 12 Apr., Too little critical attention has been given to the ‘wet or dry’ part of our forecasts. 1873 Symonds Grk. Poets i. 10 Is not the shield of Achilles..a forecast of the future? 1930 Observer 14 Sept. 17 The previous forecast of no serious gale. 1955 Ann. Reg. 1954 2 It proved to be one of those occasions when the forecast says ‘widespread rain’ and all that follows is a display of cloud. 1957 Times 11 May 7/1 Forecasts for period 6 a.m. to midnight. |
† 2. a. Design, purpose, aim. b. A plan, scheme, or device made beforehand. Obs.
| a. 1549 Coverdale, etc. Erasm. Par. Jas. iv. 1–6 To set theyr forcastes vpon muckryng vp of riches. c 1686–8 Invinc. Pride Wom. in Roxb. Ball. (1890) VII. 21 It is her forecast to contrive to rise about the hour of Noon. |
| b. 1535 Coverdale Wisd. ix. 14 Oure forecastes are but vncertayne. 1674 N. Fairfax Bulk & Selv. 162 That forecast or decree by the power of which the world was. 1754 Richardson Grandison (ed. 7) VIII. 172 What an admirable forecast in my dearest life! A repast so elegant [etc.]. |
† 3. A projection. Obs.
| 1580 Hollyband Treas. Fr. Tong, Projects de maisons, when houses haue a little forecast or wall before the gate. |
▪ II. forecast, v.
(fɔəˈkɑːst, -æ-, ˈfɔə-)
Pa. tense and pa. pple. forecast, forecasted.
[f. fore- prefix + cast v.]
1. trans. To contrive or scheme beforehand; to arrange or plan before execution; to foreordain, predestine.
| 1388 [see forecasting vbl. n.]. 1413 Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton 1483) iii. iii. 52 For sothly his deth was fore cast but if he the better sawe to hym self. 1587 Golding De Mornay xiii. (1617) 203 At the first sight the thing which was forecast by good order, seemeth to happen by adventure. 1678 tr. Gaya's Art of War i. 6 [He] to whom a Soveraign hath intrusted the command of an Army, should well forecast his measures, before he go into the Field. 1751 G. West Educ. i. xlviii, He..warily forecasting to evade The giant's furious arm, about him wheel'd. 1835 Tait's Mag. II. 257 The advantageous part her ambition had forecasted. 1871 Rossetti Poems, Ave 45 On some day forecast in Heaven. |
| absol. 1578 Banister Hist. Man i. 3 Since Nature..need⁓fully forecasted, let vs see to what end and purpose, were these Processes ordeined. 1593 Nashe Christ's T. 79 b, They fore-cast for backe doores, to come in and out by vndiscouerd. 1674 N. Fairfax Bulk & Selv. 151 Fore-casting also for the young ones a coming. |
b. To consider or think of beforehand.
| 1534 Whitinton Tullyes Offices iii. (1540) 145 Who so euer wyll not forecast this, no fraude fro hym wyll be absent. 1577 Hanmer Anc. Eccl. Hist. (1619) 213 He forecast also what God he were best to call upon for aide. 1671 Milton Samson 254 Fore-casting in what place To set upon them. |
2. To estimate, conjecture, or imagine beforehand (the course of events or future condition of things). Sometimes with clause as obj.
| 1494 Fabyan Chron. vii. 561 The whiche forecastyng y⊇ great shedyng of Cristen mannys bloode..made such affectuouse labour, y{supt} [etc.]. 1548 Hall Chron., Edw. IV (an. 8) 211 Quene Margaret..ever forcastyng and doubtyng, the chaunce that might happen. a 1602 W. Perkins Cases Consc. (1619) 220 Ionah..fore-casted dangers in his calling. 1731 Swift Strephon & Chloe Misc. 1735 V. 42 A prudent Builder should forecast How long the Stuff is like to last. 1762 Falconer Shipwr. ii. 613 No skill..could forecast The..approach of this destructive blast. 1845–6 Trench Huls. Lect. Ser. i. vii. 113 How little..could friend or foe..have forecast that out of it..should unfold itself a poetry..greater..than any which the old world had seen. 1868 G. Duff Pol. Surv. 134, I am..quite unable to forecast the future with regard to this matter. |
| absol. a 1533 Ld. Berners Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546) P, A shypmayster..forcasteth, and is in gret thought and feare of tempestes and stormes to come. 1627 Milton Vac. Exerc. 13 If it happen as I did forecast. 1633 G. Herbert Temple, Discharge xi, Either grief will not come: or if it must, Do not forecast. a 1853 Robertson Serm. Ser. iii. (1872) ii. 24 The merchant, who forecasts, saves, denies himself systematically through years to amass a fortune. |
3. (? from the n.) To take a forecast of (the sky, weather); to exhibit a forecast of; to foreshadow.
| 1883 E. C. Rollins New Eng. Bygones 94 They forecasted the sky, and planned the toils of the morrow. 1889 J. M. Robertson Ess. towards Crit. Meth. 33 His..explication of æsthetic impressions forecasts Diderot. |
Hence foreˈcasted ppl. a.
| 1882 Nature XXVI. 552 A single communication of forecasted weather. |