foreknow
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of foreknow
First recorded in 1400–50, foreknow is from the late Middle English word foreknowen. See fore-, know 1
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:
Here the prophecy was a long time ahead, and foretold the exact coming of a ball depending on a combination of circumstances which would seem impossible for reason or intuition to foresee and foreknow.
From Studies in the Out-Lying Fields of Psychic Science by Tuttle, Hudson
Thou that by Set turns and changes from Thy high And glorious throne dost here below Rule all, and all things dost foreknow!
From Poems of Henry Vaughan, Silurist, Volume II by Chambers, E. K. (Edmund Kerchever)
In short, if one can foreknow what a comparison will reveal, telepathy before the comparison is unproven.
From The Leader by Dongen, H. R. van
It is readily conceded, that, in the order of nature, the Divine Being could not foreknow that a world would certainly exist, until he had determined to create it.
From Calvinistic Controversy Embracing a Sermon on Predestination and Election and Several Numbers, Formally Published in the Christian Advocate and Journal. by Fisk, Wilbur
But after ourselves moving in such an environment it is marvelous to ponder that any creatures prefer it, and good to foreknow that our own world will swim out into a splendid frosty weather.
From Minstrel Weather by Storm, Marian
Those whom God foreknew, GW also predestined to be conformed to the image of God's child .
From Time Magazine Archive
Now his heart foreknew the wrath to come, but he could not take flight, being by Athena bound there.
From "The Odyssey" by Homer
For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2God did not cast away his people whom he foreknew.
From The New Testament of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The common English version, corrected by the final committee of the American Bible Union. by American Bible Union
Infinite cruelty rather that made everlasting Hell, Made us, foreknew us, foredoomed us, and does what he will with his own; Better our dead brute mother who never has heard us groan!
From Flowers of Freethought (First Series) by Foote, G. W. (George William)
Subsequently, sitting with His disciples over against the temple, He showed how well He foreknew the terrible fate which hung over the capital of His country, and how poignantly He felt it.
From The Trial and Death of Jesus Christ A Devotional History of our Lord's Passion by Stalker, James
She did other things besides foreknowing the fall of storms, for she took James Sandieson when in a strange distemper and tormented him greatly.
From Witch Stories by Linton, E. Lynn (Elizabeth Lynn)
"Skroppa herself could not be foreknowing about him!"
From The Ward of King Canute; a romance of the Danish conquest by Liljencrantz, Ottilie A. (Ottilia Adelina)
Many a time of late Has he, by some strange gift of foreknowing, Declared his fate was hovering in such wise!
From The Dynasts by Hardy, Thomas
I recall but one stanza:— "Oft have I walked these woodland ways, Without the blest foreknowing, That underneath the withered leaves The fairest flowers were blowing."
From The Writings of John Burroughs — Volume 05: Pepacton by Burroughs, John
If they had been foreknowing of that misery, they could not with heedless mind have enjoyed the prosperity of the present life.
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 Aelfric, Abbot of Eynsham
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.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 26, 2021
"The fortunes of cities, as well as of men," said Plutarch, "have their certain periods of time prefixed, which may be collected and foreknown from the position of the stars."
From Time Magazine Archive
Each step of the routine was foreknown: passage, veto, veto upheld.
From Time Magazine Archive
Yet, although the President's reasons were foreknown, his restatement of them in the Coolidge vernacular did not lessen their force as an expression of the point of view for which he stands.
From Time Magazine Archive
But this only amounts to the certainty of divine foreknowledge, and proves nothing as to the nature of the existence foreknown.
From A Review of Edwards's by Tappan, Henry Philip
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.
