fore

¹ American  

[fawr] / fɔr /

adjective

1. situated at or toward the front, as compared with something else.

2. previous; earlier.

   cities that existed in a fore time.

3. Nautical.

   1. of or relating to a foremast.

   2. noting a sail, yard, boom, etc., or any rigging belonging to a fore lower mast or to some upper mast of a foremast.

   3. noting any stay running aft and upward to the head of a fore lower mast or to some specified upper mast of a foremast.

      fore topmast stay.

   4. situated at or toward the bow of a vessel; forward.

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adverb

1. Nautical. at or toward the bow.

2. forward.

3. Obsolete. before.

noun

1. the forepart of anything; front.

2. Nautical. the fore, the foremast.

preposition

1. Informal. Also 'fore before.

idioms

1. fore and aft, in, at, or to both ends of a ship.

2. to the fore,

   1. into a conspicuous place or position; to or at the front.

   2. at hand; ready; available.

   3. still alive.

fore ² American  

[fawr, fohr] / fɔr, foʊr /

interjection

Golf.

1. (used as a cry of warning to persons on a course who are in danger of being struck by the ball.)

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fore- ³ American  

1. a prefix meaning “before” (in space, time, condition, etc.), “front,” “superior,” etc..

   forehead; forecastle; forecast; foretell; foreman.

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fore ¹ British  

/ fɔː /

adjective

1. (usually in combination) located at, in, or towards the front

   the forelegs of a horse

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noun

1. the front part

2. something located at, in, or towards the front

3. short for foremast

4. located at or directed towards both ends of a vessel

   a fore-and-aft rig

5. 1. to or into the front or conspicuous position

   2. alive or active

      is your grandfather still to the fore?

adverb

1. at or towards a ship's bow

2. obsolete before

preposition

1. a less common word for before

fore- ² British  

prefix

1. before in time or rank

   foresight

   forefather

   foreman

2. at or near the front; before in place

   forehead

   forecourt

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fore ³ British  

/ fɔː /

interjection

1. (in golf) a warning shout made by a player about to make a shot

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fore More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing fore

• to the fore

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Usage

What does fore- mean? Fore- is a prefix meaning “before,” "front," or "superior." It is occasionally used in everyday and technical terms. In some terms, such as fore-check, the prefix is separated from the second element with a hyphen.Fore- comes from Old English for(e), meaning “before” or “front.” The Latin cognate and translation is prae “before,” which is the source of pre-, as in prefix and preposition. Learn more at our entry for each word.

Etymology

Origin of fore¹

By construal of fore- as an adjective, hence nominalized; fore and aft perhaps as translation of Dutch or Low German; sense “before” fore ¹ ( defs. 6, 9 ) perhaps continuation of Middle English, Old English fore in this sense, or as shortening of afore

Origin of fore²

First recorded in 1875–80; probably shortening of before

Origin of fore-³

Combining form representing Middle English, Old English for ( e )

Example Sentences

At this point of the season, the show has traversed a number of topics, including healthcare costs — a running theme — drug addiction, multiple traumatic incidents and detained immigrants, which comes to the fore here.

From Los Angeles Times

Another data issue came to the fore last week when Commerce published its January PCE reading.

From The Wall Street Journal

The government said it is making improvements, adding it is determined to reduce the delays that meant some felt the need to pay fore care.

From BBC

Let’s start with the generational divide that the incident brings to the fore.

From Salon

“Geopolitical heat in the Middle East has returned to the fore,” the strategists say, noting it has prompted a safe-haven bid across macro markets including gold and U.S. dollar.

From The Wall Street Journal