forward

adj

Etymology: From Middle English foreward, from Old English foreweard (“forward, inclined to the front, fore, early, former”), from Proto-Germanic *fura- (“fore-”), *warþaz (“turned”), equivalent to fore + -ward. Cognate with Dutch voorwaarts (“forward”), German vorwärts (“forward”).

1. Situated toward or at the front of something.

   “The fire was confined to the forward portion of the store.”

   “the forward gun in a ship”

2. Situated toward or at the front of something.

   “The forward battalion took a hammering.”

3. Acting in or pertaining to the direction in which someone or something is facing.

   “My forward vision is fine, but my peripheral vision is poor.”

4. Acting in or pertaining to the direction of travel or movement.

   “forward motion, forward thrust, forward momentum”

5. Moving in the desired direction of progress.

   “This is an important forward step for the country.”

   “The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today. Let us move forward with strong and active faith.”

6. Having the usual order or sequence.

   “The front of the fire engine has backward writing, that can be read in a mirror, as well as forward writing.”

7. Expected or scheduled to take place in the future.

   “The stock price is currently 12 times forward earnings.”

   “The price for forward delivery is presently higher than the spot price.”

8. Advanced beyond the usual degree; advanced for the season; precocious.

   “These students are very forward in their learning.”

   “The grass is forward, or forward for the season. We have a forward spring.”

9. Without customary restraint or modesty; bold, cheeky, pert, presumptuous or pushy.

   “She is a very forward young lady, not afraid to speak her mind.”

   “[…] the lady conceived the same desires with himself, and was on her side contriving how to give the captain proper encouragement, without appearing too forward; for she was a strict observer of all rules of decorum.”

10. Prominent, emphasized (or, in combinations, emphasizing).

    “Pecan Porter […] beer is malty and rich with a very forward flavor of pecans with hints of molasses and burnt caramel and has a very great finish.”

    “[Margaret Encino, seeking an Acme-Ashmun sponsorship:] And we could continue to make Acme-Ashmun forward content.”

11. Ready; prompt; ardently inclined; in a bad sense, eager or hasty.

    “Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.”

    “Nor do we find him forward to be sounded.”

adv

Etymology: From Middle English foreward, from Old English foreweard (“forward, inclined to the front, fore, early, former”), from Proto-Germanic *fura- (“fore-”), *warþaz (“turned”), equivalent to fore + -ward. Cognate with Dutch voorwaarts (“forward”), German vorwärts (“forward”).

1. At, near or towards the front of something.

   “She was sitting well forward in the railway carriage.”

   “The bus driver told everyone standing up to move forward.”

2. At, near or towards the front of something.

   “Most of the men are sleeping forward, for it is near midnight, but a stout swarthy Arab, Mahomed by name, stands at the tiller, lazily steering by the stars.”

3. In the direction in which someone or something is facing.

   “I leant forward to get a better look.”

   “The grandfather clock toppled forward and crashed to the ground.”

4. In the desired or usual direction of movement or progress, physically or figuratively; onwards.

   “After spending an hour stuck in the mud, we could once again move forward.”

   “Wind the film forward a few frames.”

5. So that front and back are in the usual orientation.

   “Don't wear your baseball cap backward; turn it forward.”

6. In the usual order or sequence.

   “A palindrome reads the same backward as forward.”

7. Into the future.

   “From this day forward, there will be no more brussels sprouts at the cafeteria.”

   “The humor of my proposition appealed more strongly to Miss Trevor than I had looked for, and from that time forward she became her old self again; for, even after she had conquered her love for the Celebrity, the mortification of having been jilted by him remained.”

8. To an earlier point in time. See also bring forward.

   “The meeting has been moved forward an hour. It was at 3 o'clock; now it's at 2 o'clock.”

name

1. A surname.
2. A place name:
3. A place name:
4. A place name:
5. A place name:

noun

Etymology: From Middle English foreward, from Old English foreweard (“condition, bargain, agreement, contract, treaty, assurance”), equivalent to fore- + ward (“ward, keeping”). Cognate with Scots forward (“covenant, compact”), Dutch voorwaarde (“condition, terms, proviso, stipulation”). More at fore-, ward.

1. Agreement; covenant.

verb

Etymology: From Middle English foreward, from Old English foreweard (“forward, inclined to the front, fore, early, former”), from Proto-Germanic *fura- (“fore-”), *warþaz (“turned”), equivalent to fore + -ward. Cognate with Dutch voorwaarts (“forward”), German vorwärts (“forward”).

1. To advance, promote.

   “He did all he could to forward the interests of the school.”

   “Mary had a suspicion that this plan had been arranged beforehand, for she knew how the lewd old woman loved to forward love affairs […].”

2. To send (a letter, email etc.) on to a third party.

   “I'll be glad to forward your mail to you while you're gone.”

   “One of the most important aspects of the social service operation was the maintaining of a telephone "hot line," supposedly available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week […] This unbelievable achievement was accomplished with the expedient of "call forwarding" which made it possible for all the calls coming in to the CHAT office to be sent by means of technical magic to any other telephone in the area.”

3. To assemble (a book) by sewing sections, attaching cover boards, and so on.
4. To arrive, come.