See also: forþ-

Old English edit

Alternative forms edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Germanic *furþą, from Proto-Indo-European *pr̥to-. Cognate with Old Frisian forth, Old Saxon forth.

Pronunciation edit

Adverb edit

forþ

  1. expresses the continuation of an action
  2. out, forth (so as to be seen or known)
    • late 9th century, translation of Bede's Ecclesiastical History
      Þā tēah heora ōðer forþ fæġere bōc and swīðe medmiċele and mē sealde tō rǣdenne.
      Then one of them pulled out a beautiful and very small book and handed me it to read.
  3. forwards
    • c. 1000, unknown author, Vercelli Homily XIX
      God onsende miċelne reġn and strangne wind and grimme ȳst on þā sǣ, swā þæt þæt sċip ne meahte nāwðer swimman ne forþ ne underbæc.
      God sent a heavy rain and strong wind and violent storm to the sea, so that the ship couldn't sail either forwards or backwards.
  4. forward
    • late 10th century, Ælfric, "Passion of St. Alban, Martyr"
      Hē rād ðā on his mule mid mycelre fyrde þurh ǣnne hēahne holt mid hetelīcum ġeþance; þā ġefeng hine ān trēow be ðām fexe sona forþan þe hē wæs sīdfæxede and hē swā hangode, and sē mul arn forð fram þām ārlēasan hlāford and Dauides þeġnas hine þurhðydon.
      Then he rode on his mule with a great army through a high wood, with hostile intention; then speedily a tree caught him by the hair, because be was long-haired, and he hanged so, and the mule ran forward from the wicked lord, and David's thanes pierced him through.
    • c. 990, Wessex Gospels, John 18:4-6
      Sē Hǣlend ēode þā forþ and cwæþ tō him, "Hwone sēċaþ ġē?" Hīe andswarodon him and cwǣdon, "Þone Nāzareniscan Hǣlend." Sē Hǣlend cwæþ, "Iċ hit eom." Sōðlīċe Iūdās, þe hine belǣwde, stōd mid him. Þā hē openlīċe sæġde "Iċ hit eom," þā ēodon hīe underbæc and fēollon on þā eorðan.
      Jesus stepped forward and asked them, "Who are you looking for?" They answered him and said, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said, "That's me." Judas, who had betrayed him, was standing there with them. When he openly said "That's me," they stepped back and fell to the ground.

Preposition edit

forþ

  1. forward to, up to

Descendants edit

  • Middle English: forth, vorð, furth, feorð, forh, fort, ford