foretake

verb — 2 senses

foretake

verb

Etymology From fore- + take. Also as a back-formation from foretaken. Compare Danish foretage, Swedish företaga.

1

To take, receive, or adopt beforehand; assume.

  • You shall bring and lay in our hands tne product of your activity: we will divide it into two parts — the one shall be ours; it shall be sacred; you shall call it tithe; we will foretake it [...]1855, John Claudius Pitrat, Paul and Julia:
  • Enraptures a man to foretake his pleasure, And capture a woman to partake her treasure.2006, Robert L. Sanders, An Appeal to Reveal Poetic Ideal:
1 more example
  • Upon entering, she showed me to the bedroom. I got undressed and laid on the bed, thinking of the course of action I had to foretake as I lay there.2010, Raymond A. Francis, True Experiences: The Sins That Brought Me to My Knees:
2

To take or choose before another (option); prefer.

  • To be healthy and acknowledged I strive to be my very best / I am grateful and thankful For the blessings I do have / I foretake to dream the biggest dream yet [...]2011, Jacqueline Prost, Journey Through Experiences:

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.