forenoon
(ˈfɔənuːn)
[f. fore prep. + noon.]
1. The portion of the day before noon.
| 1506 Sir R. Guylforde Pilgr. (Camden) 35 We..spent that fore noone there in prayers and deuocion. 1582 N. Lichefield tr. Castanheda's Conq. E. Ind. iii. 10 At tenne of the Clocke in the fore noone. 1669 Worlidge Syst. Agric. (1681) 168 When..the Nights [are] yet cold, water in the Fore-noons. 1727 A. Hamilton New Acc. E. Ind. II. xxxiii. 12 The Fore-noons being dedicated to Business. 1838 Mrs. Carlyle Lett. I. 107 He sat with me one forenoon, last week. 1872 Black Adv. Phaeton xxvi. 352 He begged us to start for our forenoon's walk. |
2. attrib.
| a 1602 W. Perkins Cases Consc. (1619) 325 Some persons..are good forenoone-men, but bad afternoone-men. 1658 W. Gurnall Chr. in Arm. II. xii. §3. 138 Physicians that they call fore-noon men..because commonly they are drunk in the after-noon. a 1806 Yng. Beichan & Susie Pye xxxviii. in Child Ballads ii. liii. (1884) 471/1 Then out and spak the forenoon bride. 1833 M. Scott Tom Cringle xix. (1859) 542 My stormy forenoon watch is at length over. 1878 Huxley Physiogr. 8 The forenoon shadow. |