froward
English
Etymology
From Middle English froward, fraward, equivalent to fro + -ward.
Pronunciation
Adjective
froward (comparative more froward, superlative most froward)
- (archaic) Disobedient, contrary, unmanageable; difficult to deal with; with an evil disposition.
- 1592, William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew:
- Her onely fault, and that is faults enough, / Is, that she is intollerable curst, / And shrow'd, and froward, so beyond all measure, / That were my state farre worser then it is, / I would not wed her for a mine of Gold.
- 1826, George Crabb
- A froward child becomes an untoward youth, who turns a deaf ear to all the admonitions of an afflicted parent.
- 2007, Peter Marshall, Mother Leakey and the Bishop: A Ghost Story[1], Oxford Univ. Press, ISBN 9780199273713:
- … which so incensed this old hag that she grew as froward and sullen as the doctor, …
- c2009, Mary Sidney, “Froward Women”, Mary Sidney, accessed on 2012-08-31:
- However, it does make one wonder — if William Shakespeare were the creator of all these froward, literate, and often powerful women, why did he let his own daughters grow up illiterate?
- 2012 June 9, Christine, “Forward or Froward”, Talk Wisdom, accessed on 2012-08-31:
- … the Communist/Marxist/Progressive/Globalist meaning of the term "Forward" can more accurately be labeled as Froward. … campaign slogan choice would better resemble the term "Froward" rather than the term "Forward."
- 1592, William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew:
Derived terms
- enfroward
Translations
to deny; to contradict
Preposition
froward
- (obsolete) Away from.
- 1485, Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book XIII:
- Whan Sir Galahad herde hir sey so, he was adrad to be knowyn; and therewith he smote hys horse with his sporys and rode a grete pace froward them.
- 1485, Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book XIII: