fore|bear /fɔː r beə r / (forebears ) N‑COUNT [usu with poss] Your forebears are your ancestors. [LITERARY ] □ I'll come back to the land of my forebears.
fore|bod|ing /fɔː r boʊ d I ŋ/ (forebodings ) N‑VAR Foreboding is a strong feeling that something terrible is going to happen. □ His triumph was overshadowed by an uneasy sense of foreboding.
fore|cast ◆◇◇ /fɔː r kɑːst, -kæst/ (forecasts , forecasting , forecasted ) The forms forecast and forecasted can both be used for the past tense and past participle. 1 N‑COUNT A forecast is a statement of what is expected to happen in the future, especially in relation to a particular event or situation. □ [+ of ] …a forecast of a 2.25 per cent growth in the economy. □ He delivered his election forecast. □ The weather forecast is better for today.
2 VERB If you forecast future events, you say what you think is going to happen in the future. □ [V n] They forecast a humiliating defeat for the Prime Minister. □ [V that] He forecasts that average salary increases will remain around 4 per cent.
3 → see also weather forecast SYNONYMS forecast NOUN 1
prediction: Weather prediction has never been a perfect science.
projection: …the company's projection of 11 million visitors for the first year.
prognosis: …a gloomy prognosis of the Scots' championship prospects.
prophecy: The youth, too, fulfilled the prophecy.
fore|cast|er /fɔː r kɑːstə r , -kæst-/ (forecasters )
1 N‑COUNT A forecaster is someone who uses detailed knowledge about a particular activity in order to work out what they think will happen in that activity in the future. □ Some of the nation's top economic forecasters say the economic recovery is picking up speed.
2 → see also weather forecaster
fore|cas|tle /foʊ ksl/ (forecastles ) or fo'c'sle N‑COUNT The forecastle is the part at the front of a ship where the sailors live.
fore|close /fɔː r kloʊ z/ (forecloses , foreclosing , foreclosed ) VERB If the person or organization that lent someone money forecloses , they take possession of a property that was bought with the borrowed money, for example because regular repayments have not been made. [BUSINESS ] □ [V + on ] The bank foreclosed on the mortgage for his previous home. [Also V ]
fore|clo|sure /fɔː r kloʊ ʒə r / (foreclosures ) N‑VAR Foreclosure is when someone who has lent money to a person or organization so that they can buy property takes possession of the property because the money has not been repaid. [BUSINESS ] □ If homeowners can't keep up the payments, they face foreclosure. □ If interest rates go up, won't foreclosures rise?
fore|court /fɔː r kɔː r t/ (forecourts ) N‑COUNT [n N ] The forecourt of a large building or petrol station is the open area at the front of it. [mainly BRIT ] □ [+ of ] I locked the bike in the forecourt of the Kirey Hotel.
fore|deck /fɔː r dek/ (foredecks ) N‑COUNT The foredeck is the part of the deck at the front of a ship.
fore|father /fɔː r fɑːðə r / (forefathers ) N‑COUNT [usu pl, usu poss N ] Your forefathers are your ancestors, especially your male ancestors. [LITERARY ] □ They were determined to go back to the land of their forefathers.
fore|finger /fɔː r f I ŋgə r / (forefingers ) N‑COUNT [oft poss N ] Your forefinger is the finger that is next to your thumb. □ He took the pen between his thumb and forefinger.
fore|foot /fɔː r fʊt/ (forefeet ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] A four-legged animal's forefeet are its two front feet.
fore|front /fɔː r frʌnt/
1 N‑SING [usu at/in/to N ] If you are at the forefront of a campaign or other activity, you have a leading and influential position in it. □ [+ of/in ] They have been at the forefront of the campaign for political change.
2 N‑SING [usu at/in/to N of n] If something is at the forefront of people's minds or attention, they think about it a lot because it is particularly important to them. □ The pension issue was not at the forefront of his mind in the spring of 1985.
fore|go /fɔː r goʊ / (foregoes , foregoing , forewent , foregone ) also forgo VERB If you forego something, you decide to do without it, although you would like it. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] Keen skiers are happy to forego a summer holiday to go skiing.
fore|going /fɔː r goʊ I ŋ, fɔː r goʊ -/ PRON You can refer to what has just been stated or mentioned as the foregoing . [FORMAL ] □ You might think from the foregoing that the French want to phase accents out. Not at all. ● ADJ [ADJ n] Foregoing is also an adjective. □ The foregoing paragraphs were written in 1985.
fore|gone /fɔː r gɒn/
1 Foregone is the past participle of forego .
2 PHRASE If you say that a particular result is a foregone conclusion , you mean you are certain that it will happen. □ Most voters believe the result is a foregone conclusion.
fore|ground /fɔː r graʊnd/ (foregrounds )
1 N‑VAR [oft in the N ] The foreground of a picture or scene you are looking at is the part or area of it that appears nearest to you. □ He is the bowler-hatted figure in the foreground of Orpen's famous painting.