forwarn

English

Alternative forms

• forewarn

Etymology

From Middle English forwernen, from Old English forwærnan, forwoernan, forwiernan (“to hinder, prohibit, prevent, repel, refuse, repudiate, deny, withhold, oppose”), from Proto-Germanic *fra-, *fur-, *far- (“for-”) + *warnijaną (“to care, worry”), from Proto-Indo-European *wer- (“to close, cover, protect, defend”), equivalent to for- +‎ warn (“to deny, refuse, forbid”).

Verb

forwarn (third-person singular simple present forwarns, present participle forwarning, simple past and past participle forwarned)

1. (transitive) To prohibit; forbid; deny (right, access to, etc.).
   • 1690, Thomas Shadwell, The amorous bigotte:

     Oh Cousin this wicked Duoena, this Grycta suspects the good Woman who brought the Letter, and has forwarn'd her the House.

   • 1708, Samuel Sewall, Diary:

     I meet the Workman by Mr. Pemberton's Gate, and forewarn him from making of it; [...]

   • 1840, Charles Lamb, Sir Thomas Noon Talfourd, The works of Charles Lamb:

     [...] having been caught putting the inside of the master's desk to a use for which the architect had clearly not designed it, to justify himself, with great simplicity averred, that he did not know that the thing had been forewarned.