forth meaning (archaic): definition, etymology and quotations

forth

adv

UK /fɔːθ/ · US /fɔɹθ/

Etymology From Middle English forth, from Old English forþ, from Proto-West Germanic *forþ, from Proto-Germanic *furþą, from Proto-Indo-European *pŕ̥-to-, from *per-. Cognates include Dutch voort and German fort. See also ford.

Archaic, Formal Forward in time, place or degree.

From this time forth, I never will speak word.c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii], page 159:
say forth1709-1725, John Strype, Annals of the Reformation in England

1 more example

“[…] They talk of you as if you were Croesus—and I expect the beggars sponge on you unconscionably.” And Vickers launched forth into a tirade very different from his platform utterances. He spoke with extreme contempt of the dense stupidity exhibited on all occasions by the working classes.1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XIII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:

Archaic, Formal Out into view; from a particular place or position.

The plants in spring put forth leaves.
The robbers leapt forth from their place of concealment.

1 more example

A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: […]1949, Joseph Campbell, “The Hero and the God”, in The Hero with a Thousand Faces:

Obsolete Beyond a (certain) boundary; away; abroad; out.

I have no mind of feasting forth to-night.c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene v]:
At the clashing of the cymbals the King sprang at Goldry as the panther springeth, and with the rush bare him backward and well nigh forth of the wrastling ground.1922, E[ric] R[ücker] Eddison, The Worm Ouroboros: A Romance, London: Jonathan Cape […], →OCLC, page 24:

Synonyms: fromward
Derived terms: 34 terms
and so forth, back and forth, blossom forth, body forth, bring forth, burst forth, call forth, come forth, find forth, forth-, forthby, forthcome, forthgo, forth-issuing, forthwithal, furthen, further, give forth, go forth, henceforth, hold forth, launch forth, pour forth, put forth, sally forth, send forth, set forth, show forth, stand forth, straightforth, stretch forth, thenceforth, turn forth, whenceforth

forth

prep

Obsolete Forth from; out of.

Some forth their cabins peepe.a. 1631, John Donne, The Storme: