foreman

[ fawr-muh n, fohr- ]

/ ˈfɔr mən, ˈfoʊr- /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR foreman ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural fore·men.

a person in charge of a particular department, group of workers, etc., as in a factory or the like.

the member of a jury selected to preside over and speak for all the jurors on the panel.

Nearby words

foreland, foreland basin, foreleg, forelimb, forelock, foreman, foremast, forementioned, foremilk, foremost, foremother

Origin of foreman

1175–1225; Middle English forman chief servant, steward. See fore-, man¹

Related formsfore·man·ship, nounsub·fore·man, noun, plural sub·fore·men.sub·fore·man·ship, noun

Usage note

See -man.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for foreman

One was Joe Bamberger, the foreman of the composing room, and the other was Joe Callahan, my assistant as city editor.
The Stacks: H.L. Mencken on the 1904 Baltimore Fire|H.L. Mencken|October 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The foreman was a fireworks expert and is one of three who have since passed away, taking precious information with him.
New Revelations in JonBenet’s Unsolved Death|Carol McKinley|October 25, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The foreman repeated the word regarding a second charge, accessing a government data base.
Cannibal Cop Now Faces Life in Prison|Michael Daly|March 12, 2013|DAILY BEAST
“Guilty,” the foreman said as to the conspiracy to kidnap charge.
Cannibal Cop Now Faces Life in Prison|Michael Daly|March 12, 2013|DAILY BEAST

“We did what we had to do,” the foreman said after the jury was excused.
Cannibal Cop Now Faces Life in Prison|Michael Daly|March 12, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Id just as soon see a snake coming, grunted the foreman as he recognized the visitor as Hal Titzell, the cattle buyer.
Slim Evans and his Horse Lightning|Graham M. Dean
The foreman, instead of sympathizing with him, joined in the laugh.
From North Carolina to Southern California Without a Ticket and How I Did It|John Peele
I sometimes think I must come to this—to be the foreman upon my own farm and the schoolmaster to my own children.
Familiar Letters of John Adams and His Wife Abigail Adams During the Revolution|John Adams
Each person received pay according to his value as a worker, the record being kept by the foreman of his group.
Stories of the Badger State|Reuben Gold Thwaites
"Haven't got the keys, so I can't let y'u out, old hoss," he told the foreman.
Wyoming, a Story of the Outdoor West|William MacLeod Raine

British Dictionary definitions for foreman (1 of 2)

foreman

/ (ˈfɔːmən) /

noun plural -men

a person, often experienced, who supervises other workmenGender-neutral form: supervisor

law the principal juror, who presides at the deliberations of a juryFemale equivalent: forewoman

Derived Formsforemanship, noun

British Dictionary definitions for foreman (2 of 2)

Foreman

/ (ˈfɔːmən) /

noun

George . born 1949, US boxer: world heavyweight champion (1973–74); retired in 1977 but re-entered the ring in 1987 and won the heavyweight championship in 1994 at age 45

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for foreman

foreman

1530s in the sense of "principal juror;" 1570s in the sense of "principal workman;" from fore- + man (n.). Earliest attested meaning (early 13c.) was "a leader." In 17c., a slang word for "penis."

foreman

noun, plural fore·men.

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of foreman

Usage note

Examples from the Web for foreman

British Dictionary definitions for foreman (1 of 2)

foreman

noun plural -men

British Dictionary definitions for foreman (2 of 2)

Foreman

noun

Word Origin and History for foreman

foreman