▪ I. forethought, n.
(ˈfɔəθɔːt)
[f. fore- prefix + thought n.]
1. a. A thinking out or contriving beforehand. (crime, evil, etc.) of forethought, premeditated.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 27661 (Cott.) O nith cums bitternes o thoght..wit wicked for-thoght And conspiraciun. 1692 R. L'Estrange Fables ccccxcix, He..is equally Undone, whether it be by a Spitefulness of Forethought, or by the Folly of Oversight. 1788 Burke Sp. agst. W. Hastings Wks. XIII. 12 We urge no crimes, that were not crimes of forethought. 1853 Whittier My Namesake xix, His good was mainly an intent, His evil not of forethought done. |
b. Previous thought or consideration; anticipation; also, a thought beforehand.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 26727 (Cott.) Scrift agh be made wit god for-thoght. c 1440 Jacob's Well (E.E.T.S.) 172 Ȝif þe contricyoun for þi synne haue a forthowȝt, & be pryue to god alone. 1539 Taverner Erasm. Prov. (1552) 3 Better is one forethought than two after. 1626 Dk. Buckhm. in Rushw. Hist. Coll. (1659) I. 378 The Earl..nominated the Duke to be his Successor, without the Dukes privity or fore-thought of it. 1650–3 tr. Hales' Dissert. de Pace in Phenix (1708) II. 366 These shall..be discarded from the Forethought..of eternal Joy. 1863 Geo. Eliot Romola ii. viii, The title which she had never given him before came to her lips without forethought. |
† 2. A pre-conceived idea or design, an anticipation or forecast. Obs.
| a 1400 in Leg. Rood 145 Alle þe werkes þat I haue wrouht Weore founden in þe ffaderes fore-þouht. c 1440 York Myst. ii. 74 Þis materis more ȝitt will I mende, so for to fulfill my for-thoght. 1729 G. Shelvocke Artillery iv. 217 All these things were only so many Forethoughts of our Hand-Grenado's. |
3. Thought for the future, provident care.
| 1719 De Foe Crusoe i. 300 True Seamen are, perhaps, the least of all Mankind given to Fore-thought. 1766 Blackstone Comm. II. ii. xi. 172 Formal deeds..are presumed to be made with great caution, fore-thought, and advice. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) IV. 283 Just so much forethought as is necessary to provide for the morrow. |
Hence forethoughted a., marked by forethought.
| 1816 L. Hunt Rimini iii. 60 Fore-thoughted chess, and riddle rarely missed. |
▪ II. forethought, ppl. a.
(ˈfɔəθɔːt)
[pa. pple. of forethink v.]
1. Thought out or contrived beforehand; premeditated; esp. in Law, forethought felony, (of, with, upon) malice forethought. Cf. aforethought.
| c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. vii. ix. 502 Quheþir it wes of reklesnes Or it of forthoucht Felny wes. c 1540 in Fisher's Wks., Life p. liv, He began..to speake of his forethought divorse with Queene Catherin. 1628 Coke On Litt. 287 b, Murder is when one is slaine..with malice prepensed or forethought. 1662 Hickeringill Wks. (1716) I. 307 What Rebels shall be hereafter, must needs be so upon malice fore-thought. 1752 J. Louthian Form of Process (ed. 2) 103 The Pannel..by Premeditation and forethought Felony..wounded the deceas'd. 1828 Scott F.M. Perth xx, A deed of foul and fore-thought murder. |
† 2. Anticipated. Obs.
| 1666 Spurstowe Spir. Chym. (1668) 108 The stroke of a forethought evil is more gentle and soft than if it were wholly unexpected. |