English edit

Etymology edit

From Middle English fortreden, from Old English fortredan (to tread down, trample on), from Proto-Germanic *fratredaną, *fratrudaną (to trample), equivalent to for- +‎ tread. Compare Saterland Frisian fertreede, Dutch vertreden (to trample), German Low German vertreden, German vertreten ("to represent"; < Old High German firtretan (to trample)).

Verb edit

fortread (third-person singular simple present fortreads, present participle fortreading, simple past fortrod, past participle fortrodden)

  1. (transitive, obsolete) To tread down; tread underfoot; trample upon; crush; destroy by trampling.