Etymology From Middle English foreward, from Old English foreweard (“forward, inclined to the front, fore, early, former”), from Proto-Germanic *fura- (“fore-”), *warþaz (“turned”), equivalent to fore + -ward. Cognate with Dutch voorwaarts (“forward”), German vorwärts (“forward”).
The fire was confined to the forward portion of the store.
the forward gun in a ship
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the forward ship in a fleet
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Of troops Situated toward or near the enemy lines.
The forward battalion took a hammering.
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Acting in or pertaining to the direction in which someone or something is facing.
My forward vision is fine, but my peripheral vision is poor.
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Acting in or pertaining to the direction of travel or movement.
forward motion, forward thrust, forward momentum
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Figuratively Moving in the desired direction of progress.
This is an important forward step for the country.
The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today. Let us move forward with strong and active faith.1945 April 12, Franklin D. Roosevelt, “Franklin D. Roosevelt's Last Message to the American People”, in Library of Congress:
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Having the usual order or sequence.
The front of the fire engine has backward writing, that can be read in a mirror, as well as forward writing.
The stock price is currently 12 times forward earnings.
The price for forward delivery is presently higher than the spot price.
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Advanced beyond the usual degree; advanced for the season; precocious.
These students are very forward in their learning.
The grass is forward, or forward for the season. We have a forward spring.
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The most forward bud / Is eaten by the canker ere it blow.c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:
You promiſt Knighthood to our forward ſonne, / Vnſheath your ſword, and dub him preſently.c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii], page 154, column 2:
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Without customary restraint or modesty; bold, cheeky, pert, presumptuous or pushy.
She is a very forward young lady, not afraid to speak her mind.
[…] the lady conceived the same desires with himself, and was on her side contriving how to give the captain proper encouragement, without appearing too forward; for she was a strict observer of all rules of decorum.1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC:
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He said that if one offered himself to be a soldier under him, who was forward to tell what he could or would do, if he could only get sight of the enemy, he had but little confidence in him.1859, Henry David Thoreau, A Plea for Captain John Brown:
"Would you think it forward of me to kiss you?" asked Tristran.1999:, Neil Gaiman, Stardust, pg. 44 (2001 Perennial paperback edition)
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Prominent, emphasized (or, in combinations, emphasizing).
Pecan Porter […] beer is malty and rich with a very forward flavor of pecans with hints of molasses and burnt caramel and has a very great finish.2015 June 1, Mike Cortez, Beer Lover's Texas: Best Breweries, Brewpubs & Beer Bars, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN, page 10:
[Margaret Encino, seeking an Acme-Ashmun sponsorship:] And we could continue to make Acme-Ashmun forward content.2022 March 30, "Go Big or Go Home", Dimension 20: A Starstruck Odyssey (Dropout), 2:39:31
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[…] appetizing home bakes as well as moreish desserts and citrus-forward drinks and cocktails.2023 June 13, Ryland Peters & Small, Frozen Sweet Treats & Desserts, Ryland Peters & Small, →ISBN:
The yelow Chartreuse adds extra herbal and spice notes to the drink as well as being a digestif, making this drink the perfect follow-up to a big, spicy meal. It uses a local gin from Ampersand Distilling, which is very bright and citrus forward, further complementing the citrus notes of the drink.2023 August 29, Janet Gyenes, Vancouver Cocktails: An Elegant Collection of Over 100 Recipes Inspired by the City on the Sea, →ISBN, page 182:
"It's not meme money; you know I curate and execute a brand-forward content experience […] for my clients."2024 October 1, Louise Hung, Hungry Bones, Scholastic Inc., →ISBN:
Fresh oregano has a very forward flavor, once it is dried or cooked, it's a bit more mellow.2025 March 25, Bevin Cohen, Herbs in Every Season: 48 Edible and Medicinal Herbs for the Kitchen, Garden, and Apothecary, Timber Press, →ISBN:
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Obsolete Ready; prompt; ardently inclined; in a bad sense, eager or hasty.
Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Galatians 2:10:
Nor do we find him forward to be sounded.c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:
Etymology From Middle English foreward, from Old English foreweard (“forward, inclined to the front, fore, early, former”), from Proto-Germanic *fura- (“fore-”), *warþaz (“turned”), equivalent to fore + -ward. Cognate with Dutch voorwaarts (“forward”), German vorwärts (“forward”).
She was sitting well forward in the railway carriage.
The bus driver told everyone standing up to move forward.
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A great bargain also had been the excellent Axminster carpet which covered the floor; as, again, the arm-chair in which Bunting now sat forward, staring into the dull, small fire. In fact, that arm-chair had been an extravagance of Mrs. Bunting. She had wanted her husband to be comfortable after the day's work was done, and she had paid thirty-seven shillings for the chair.1913, Mrs. [Marie] Belloc Lowndes, chapter I, in The Lodger, London: Methuen, →OCLC; republished in Novels of Mystery: The Lodger; The Story of Ivy; What Really Happened, New York, N.Y.: Longmans, Green and Co., […], [1933], →OCLC, page 0016:
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Nautical, Transport At, near, or towards the bow of a vessel (with the frame of reference within the vessel).
Most of the men are sleeping forward, for it is near midnight, but a stout swarthy Arab, Mahomed by name, stands at the tiller, lazily steering by the stars.1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887, →OCLC:
3
In the direction in which someone or something is facing.
I leant forward to get a better look.
The grandfather clock toppled forward and crashed to the ground.
4
In the desired or usual direction of movement or progress, physically or figuratively; onwards.
After spending an hour stuck in the mud, we could once again move forward.
Wind the film forward a few frames.
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Don't forget to put the clocks forward by one hour tonight!
We need to move this project forward.
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So that front and back are in the usual orientation.
Don't wear your baseball cap backward; turn it forward.
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In the usual order or sequence.
A palindrome reads the same backward as forward.
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Into the future.
From this day forward, there will be no more brussels sprouts at the cafeteria.
The humor of my proposition appealed more strongly to Miss Trevor than I had looked for, and from that time forward she became her old self again; for, even after she had conquered her love for the Celebrity, the mortification of having been jilted by him remained.1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter VIII, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
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To an earlier point in time. See also bring forward.
The meeting has been moved forward an hour. It was at 3 o'clock; now it's at 2 o'clock.
Etymology From Middle English foreward, from Old English foreweard (“forward, inclined to the front, fore, early, former”), from Proto-Germanic *fura- (“fore-”), *warþaz (“turned”), equivalent to fore + -ward. Cognate with Dutch voorwaarts (“forward”), German vorwärts (“forward”).
1
To advance, promote.
He did all he could to forward the interests of the school.
Mary had a suspicion that this plan had been arranged beforehand, for she knew how the lewd old woman loved to forward love affairs […].1941, W Somerset Maugham, Up at the Villa, Vintage, published 2004, page 26:
2
To send (a letter, email etc.) on to a third party.
I'll be glad to forward your mail to you while you're gone.
One of the most important aspects of the social service operation was the maintaining of a telephone "hot line," supposedly available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week […] This unbelievable achievement was accomplished with the expedient of "call forwarding" which made it possible for all the calls coming in to the CHAT office to be sent by means of technical magic to any other telephone in the area.1981 April 4, Steve Owens, “We Are God's Children Too”, in Gay Community News, page 9:
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Arts, Bookbinding, Crafts, Hobbies, Lifestyle To assemble (a book) by sewing sections, attaching cover boards, and so on.
Etymology From Middle English foreward, from Old English foreweard (“forward, inclined to the front, fore, early, former”), from Proto-Germanic *fura- (“fore-”), *warþaz (“turned”), equivalent to fore + -ward. Cognate with Dutch voorwaarts (“forward”), German vorwärts (“forward”).
Ball games, Games, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Rugby, Sports One of the eight players (comprising two props, one hooker, two locks, two flankers and one number eight, collectively known as the pack) whose primary task is to gain and maintain possession of the ball (compare back).
› One of the eight players (comprising two…
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Ball games, Games, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Rugby, Soccer, Sports A player on a team in football (soccer) in the row nearest to the opposing team's goal, who are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals.
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Hobbies, Ice hockey, Lifestyle, Skating, Sports An umbrella term for a centre or winger in ice hockey.
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Ball games, Basketball, Games, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports The small forward or power forward position; two frontcourt positions that are taller than guards but shorter than centers.
Internet An e-mail message that is forwarded to another recipient or recipients; an electronic chain letter.
When you receive your new pen-pal's email address, do not automatically put it in your address book and use the email Addy to send 'forwards' to. Not every pen pal likes 'forwards', especially jokes and meaningless emails.2004, Tamara Stevens, What Is Snail Mail?: The Lost Art of Letterwriting, page 27:
This method attaches the files to a new email, which is fine if you want to create a new email. The only problem with this is that it doesn't work if you'd rather send forwards or replies.2009, Joli Ballew, Windows 7 for the Over 50s in Simple Steps:
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Business, Finance A direct agreement between two parties to buy or sell an asset at a specific point in the future; distinguished from a futures contract in that the latter is standardized and traded on an exchange.
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Misspelling Misspelling of foreword (“preface or introduction”).
Etymology From Middle English foreward, from Old English foreweard (“condition, bargain, agreement, contract, treaty, assurance”), equivalent to fore- + ward (“ward, keeping”). Cognate with Scots forward (“covenant, compact”), Dutch voorwaarde (“condition, terms, proviso, stipulation”). More at fore-, ward.