foreknow

[fawr-noh, fohr-]

verb (used with object)

foreknew, foreknown, foreknowing. 

1. to know beforehand.

   Synonyms: anticipate, discern, divine, foresee

foreknow

/ fɔːˈnəʊ /

verb

1. (tr) to know in advance

Other Word Forms

• foreknowable adjective
• foreknower noun
• foreknowingly adverb
• unforeknowable adjective
• unforeknown adjective
• foreknowledge noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of foreknow¹

First recorded in 1400–50, foreknow is from the late Middle English word foreknowen. See fore-, know ¹

Example Sentences

Emergency managers in central Puget Sound understand what is possible and are doing their best to plan for the foreknown consequences of a major earthquake.

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Now his heart foreknew the wrath to come, but he could not take flight, being by Athena bound there.

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Who gave him an imperfect nature—a nature of which it was foreknown it would fall!

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Then and there he foreknew and foreordained all human tears.

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His image was all the more pale and ineffectual now because, foreknowing them well, he had not mastered them.

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Related Words

• deduce 
• discern 
• foresee 
• foretell 
• infer 
• prophesy 
• surmise 
• visualize