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To warn beforehand; to give previous warning, admonition, information, or notice to; to caution in advance. We were forewarned of your coming. Shak.

See Forewaste. Gascoigne.

To go before. [Obs.] Spenser.

To wish beforehand.

A leader, or would-be leader, in matters of knowledge or taste. [Obs.] Nor that the forewits, that would draw the rest unto their liking, always like the best. B. Jonson.

To foreknow. [Obs.] [Written also forwete.] Chaucer.

A woman who is chief; a woman who has charge of the work or workers in a shop or other place; a head woman. Tatler. W. Besant.

A preface. Furnvall.

Worn out; wasted; used up. [Archaic] Old foreworn stories almost forgotten. Brydges.

, 1st & 3d pers. sing. of Forewite. [Obs.] Chaucer.

The lowermost yard on the foremast.

Forfeiture. [Obs.]

; wrong; mischief. [Obs. & R.] To seek arms upon people and country that never did us any forfeit. Ld. Berners.

Liable to be forfeited; subject to forfeiture. For the future, uses shall be subject to the statutes of mortmain, and forfeitable, like the lands themselves. Blackstone.

One who incurs a penalty of forfeiture.

The act of forfeiting; the loss of some right, privilege, estate, honor, office, or effects, by an offense, crime, breach of condition, or other act. Under pain of foreiture of the said goods. Hakluyt.

To prohibit; to forbid; to avert. [Archaic] Which peril heaven forefend! Shak.

Excessively alarmed; in great fear. [Obs.] "Forfered of his death." Chaucer.

r a penalty; to transgress. [Obs.] And all this suffered our Lord Jesus Christ that never forfeted. Chaucer.

A pair of shears. Pope.