fore

1
[ fawr, fohr ]
See synonyms for: foreforerforestfores on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. situated at or toward the front, as compared with something else.

  2. previous; earlier: cities that existed in a fore time.

  1. Nautical.

    • of or relating to a foremast.

    • noting a sail, yard, boom, etc., or any rigging belonging to a fore lower mast or to some upper mast of a foremast.

    • noting any stay running aft and upward to the head of a fore lower mast or to some specified upper mast of a foremast: fore topmast stay.

    • situated at or toward the bow of a vessel; forward.

adverb
  1. Nautical. at or toward the bow.

  1. Obsolete. before.

noun
  1. the forepart of anything; front.

  2. the fore, Nautical. the foremast.

preposition, conjunction
  1. Also 'fore .Informal. before.

Idioms about fore

  1. fore and aft, Nautical. in, at, or to both ends of a ship.

  2. to the fore,

    • into a conspicuous place or position; to or at the front.

    • at hand; ready; available.

    • still alive.

Origin of fore

1
By construal of fore- as an adjective, hence nominalized; fore and aft perhaps as translation of Dutch or Low German; sense “before” (defs. 6, 9) perhaps continuation of Middle English, Old English fore in this sense, or as shortening of afore

Words that may be confused with fore

Other definitions for fore (2 of 3)

fore2
[ fawr, fohr ]

interjectionGolf.
  1. (used as a cry of warning to persons on a course who are in danger of being struck by the ball.)

Origin of fore

2
First recorded in 1875–80; probably shortening of before

Other definitions for fore- (3 of 3)

fore-

  1. a prefix meaning “before” (in space, time, condition, etc.), “front,” “superior,” etc.: forehead; forecastle; forecast; foretell; foreman.

Origin of fore-

3
Combining form representing Middle English, Old English for(e)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use fore in a sentence

  • His drill-like nose, his powerful fore-legs and big, strong feet all served to make him the fastest digger in Pleasant Valley.

    The Tale of Grandfather Mole | Arthur Scott Bailey
  • If we hustle right smart we can get a pen done 'fore dark, let alone gettin' them cattle into a shed.

    Dorothy at Skyrie | Evelyn Raymond
  • With what honest pride did John Smith, the best farmer of them all, step to the fore and assign to each man his place!

    Dorothy at Skyrie | Evelyn Raymond
  • With his head between his fore-paws and one eye closed, he watches the tiny tongue of flame licking up the last coal.

  • The pustule on the fore finger shews the disease in an earlier stage.

British Dictionary definitions for fore (1 of 3)

fore1

/ (fɔː) /


adjective
  1. (usually in combination) located at, in, or towards the front: the forelegs of a horse

noun
  1. the front part

  2. something located at, in, or towards the front

  1. short for foremast

  2. fore and aft located at or directed towards both ends of a vessel: a fore-and-aft rig

  3. to the fore

    • to or into the front or conspicuous position

    • Scot and Irish alive or active: is your grandfather still to the fore?

adverb
  1. at or towards a ship's bow

  2. obsolete before

preposition, conjunction
  1. a less common word for before

Origin of fore

1
Old English; related to Old Saxon, Old High German fora, Gothic faura, Greek para, Sanskrit pura

British Dictionary definitions for fore (2 of 3)

fore2

/ (fɔː) /


interjection
  1. (in golf) a warning shout made by a player about to make a shot

Origin of fore

2
C19: probably short for before

British Dictionary definitions for fore- (3 of 3)

fore-

prefix
  1. before in time or rank: foresight; forefather; foreman

  2. at or near the front; before in place: forehead; forecourt

Origin of fore-

3
Old English, from fore (adv)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with fore

fore

In addition to the idioms beginning with fore

  • fore and aft

also see:

  • to the fore

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.