forget
verbUK /fəˈɡɛt/ · US /fɚˈɡɛt/
Etymology From Middle English forgeten, forgiten, foryeten, forȝiten, from Old English forġietan (“to forget”) [influenced by Old Norse geta ("to get, to guess")], from Proto-West Germanic *fragetan (“to give up, forget”). Equivalent to for- + get. Cognate with : * Scots forget, forȝet (“to forget”), * West Frisian fergette, ferjitte, forjitte (“to forget”), * Dutch vergeten (“to forget”), * German vergessen (“to forget”).
1
To lose remembrance of.
- I have forgotten most of the things I learned in school.
- VVe (of all earthlings) are Gods vtmoſt ſubiects, the laſt (in a manner) that he bought to his obedience: ſhal we then forgette that vvee are any ſubiects of hys, becauſe (as amongſt his Angels) he is not viſibly conuerſant amongſt vs?1593, Tho[mas] Nashe, Christs Teares Over Ierusalem. […], London: […] Iames Roberts, and are to be solde by Andrewe Wise, […], →OCLC, folio 60, verso:
4 more examples
- For at least two hours the Boy loved him, and then Aunts and Uncles came to dinner, and there was a great rustling of tissue paper and unwrapping of parcels, and in the excitement of looking at all the new presents the Velveteen Rabbit was forgotten.1921 June, Margery Williams, “The Velveteen Rabbit: Or How Toys Become Real”, in Harper’s Bazar, volume LVI, number 6 (2504 overall), New York, N.Y.: International Magazine Company, →ISSN, →OCLC:
- Technical terms like ferrite, perlite, graphite, and hardenite were bandied to and fro, and when Paget glibly brought out such a rare exotic as ferro-molybdenum, Benson forgot that he was a master ship-builder,[…]1928, Lawrence R. Bourne, chapter 4, in Well Tackled!:
- Everybody, old and young, laughs uproariously at this and immediately forgets all about it.1929, Robert Dean Frisbee, The Book of Puka-Puka, Eland, published 2019, page 35:
- Valentine’s Day means different things for different people. For Homer, it means forking over a hundred dollars for a dusty box of chocolates at the Kwik-E-Mart after characteristically forgetting the holiday yet again. For Ned, it’s another opportunity to prove his love for his wife. Most germane to the episode, for Lisa, Valentine’s Day means being the only person in her entire class to give Ralph a Valentine after noticing him looking crestfallen and alone at his desk.2012 August 5, Nathan Rabin, “TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “I Love Lisa” (season 4, episode 15; originally aired 02/11/1993)”, in A.V. Club, archived from the original on 29 Mar 2013:
2
To unintentionally not do, neglect.
- I forgot to buy flowers for my wife at our 14th wedding anniversary.
- Pray, thou, therefore, to Slid, and forget not Slid, and it may be that Slid will not forget to send thee Death when most thou needest it.1905, Lord Dunsany [i.e., Edward Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany], The Gods of Pegāna, London: [Charles] Elkin Mathews, […], →OCLC:
3
To unintentionally leave something behind.
- I forgot my car keys in the living room.
4
To cease remembering.
- Let's just forget I ever told you anything about it.
- He forgot having already visited this city.
5
Broadly, Informal To not realize something (regardless of whether one has ever known it).
- People forget how much work goes into what we do.
6
Slang Euphemism for fuck, screw (a mild oath).
- Forget you!
- Synonyms
- obliviate, overlook, pass over, disremember, forget
- Derived terms
30 terms
and don't you forget it, don't forget to write, eaten bread is soon forgotten, fire and forget, foggetaboutit, forget about, forget about it, forgetful, forget it, forget-me-not, forgetness, forget oneself, forget one's manners, forgettability, forgettable, forgettance, forgetter, forgettery, forget to take one's medication this morning, forget to take one's pills this morning, forget you, forgive and forget, forgive but don't forget, lest we forget, not forgetting, right to be forgotten, set-and-forget, the Internet never forgets, un-forget, unforgettable- Related terms
- slip someone's mind, memory, recollection
- Hypernyms
- lose