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The practice of folly; the behavior of a fool; absurdity. Folly in fools bears not so strong a note, As foolery in the wise, when wit doth dote. Shak.

weet smells are most forcible in dry substances, when broken. Bacon. But I have reasons strong and forcible. Shak. That punishment which hath been sometimes forcible to bridle sin. Hooker. He is at once elegant and sublime, forcible and ornamented. Lowth (Transl. )

To plan beforehand; to scheme; to project. He shall forecast his devices against the strongholds. Dan. xi. 24.

A large, strong rope, reaching from the foremast head to the bowsprit, to support the mast. See Illust. under Ship.

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

To give up resentment or claim to requital on account of (an offense or wrong); to remit the penalty of; to pardon; -- said in reference to the act forgiven. And their sins should be forgiven them. Mark iv. 12. He forgive injures so readily that he might be said to invite them. Macaulay.

An instrument consisting consisting of a handle with a shank terminating in two or more prongs or tines, which are usually of metal, parallel and slightly curved; -- used from piercing, holding, taking up, or pitching anything.

Formed into a forklike shape; having a fork; dividing into two or more prongs or branches; furcated; bifurcated; zigzag; as, the forked lighting. A serpent seen, with forked tongue. Shak.

A strong or fortified place; usually, a small fortified place, occupied only by troops, surrounded with a ditch, rampart, and parapet, or with palisades, stockades, or other means of defense; a fortification. Detached works, depending solely on their own strength, belong to the class of works termed forts. Farrow.…

The strong point; that in which one excels. fort"a The construction of a fable seems by no means the forte of our modern poetical writers. Jeffrey.

e; a large and permanent fortification, sometimes including a town; a fort; a castle; a stronghold; a place of defense or security.

Ready; prompt; strongly inclined; in an ill sense, overready; to hasty. Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do. Gal. ii. 10. Nor do we find him forward to be sounded. Shak.

In a foul manner; filthily; nastily; shamefully; unfairly; dishonorably. I foully wronged him; do forgive me, do. Gay.

Having the odor of a fox; rank; strong smeelling.

A strong or sweet scent. [Obs. & Illegitimate.] Sir T. Herbert.

Liable to fall from virtue or be led into sin; not strong against temptation; weak in resolution; also, unchaste; -- often applied to fallen women. Man is frail, and prone to evil. Jer. Taylor.

build of a person. Some bloody passion shakes your very frame. Shak. No frames could be strong enough to endure it. Prescott.

A crowd; a throng; a concourse. [Archaic.] Tennyson.

A crowd; a throng. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

Full; crowded; thronged. [Obs.] 'T is Cæsar's will to have a frequent senate. B. Jonson.