fordo
Americanverb (used with object)
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to do away with; kill; destroy.
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to ruin; undo.
verb
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to destroy
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to exhaust
Etymology
Origin of fordo
before 900; Middle English fordon, Old English fordōn ( see fore-, do 1); cognate with Dutch verdoen, Old High German fartuon
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
So benevolent is God to mankind, that he has set his angels over us as guardians, that they may not allow the fierce devils to fordo us.
From The Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church Containing the Sermones Catholici, or Homilies of ?lfric, in the Original Anglo-Saxon, with an English Version. Volume I. by Abbot of Eynsham Aelfric
This eventful day, which, to quote Iago, was either to "make or fordo quite" the widow, found her as calm, cool and deliberate in the execution of her purpose as the Ancient himself.
From A Book of Remarkable Criminals by Henry Brodribb Irving
Juno, Thus hath your ire our lineage all fordo* *undone, ruined Save only me, and wretched Palamon, That Theseus martyreth in prison.
From The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems by D. Laing Purves
Me forthinketh, said King Pellinore, that this shall me betide, but God may fordo well destiny.
From Le Mort d'Arthur: Volume 1 by Sir Thomas Malory
Forsooth this is a shameful custom of a lady, and if I had not a great matter in my hand I should fordo your evil customs.
From Le Mort d'Arthur: Volume 2 by Sir Thomas Malory
Also Merlin let make there a bed, that there should never man lie therein but he went out of his wit, yet Launcelot de Lake fordid that bed through his noblesse.
From Le Mort d'Arthur: Volume 1 by Sir Thomas Malory
Him longing fordid To wot whether the bold man he quick there shall meet In that mead-stead, e'en he the king of the Weders, All sick of his might, whereas he erst Itft him.
From The Tale of Beowulf Sometime King of the Folk of the Weder Geats by Anonymous
And yet they are talking about our fathers being such good men, while they are cursing us fordoing precisely what they did, only to a less extent than they did.
From The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Vol. 8 (of 12) Dresden Edition?Political by Robert Green Ingersoll
He was near fordone, poor man! but still entreatingly prayed, in sentences broken by consumptive spasms, for wisdom and faith and the fire of the Holy Ghost in this dire emergency.
From The Cruise of the Shining Light by Norman Duncan
When Messire Gawain heareth these tidings, they touch his heart right sore, so that he goeth the straightest he may toward the assembly, and the squire with him that was sore fordone.
From The High History of the Holy Graal by Sebastian Evans
For there, with bodily anguish keen, With Indian heats at last fordone, With public toil and private teen— Thou sank'st, alone.
From Poetical Works of Matthew Arnold by Matthew Arnold
And he wept and groaned and repeated the following verses: Indeed, it sufficeth the lover the time that his tears have run; As for affliction, of patience it hath him all fordone.
From The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Volume III by John Payne
Other pray'r hath he none Save this, "Sir, let me begone Whence I came, since fordone My expertise."
From Helen Redeemed and Other Poems by Maurice Henry Hewlett
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
