forward — English Dictionary

forward
Word-form referencesforeword
Pronunciations (6)
  • /ˈfɔːwəd/
    Pronunciation notes
    • Received-Pronunciation
  • /ˈfɔɹwəɹd/
    Pronunciation notes
    • General-American
  • /ˈfoʊwəɹd/
    Pronunciation notes
    • General-American
    • nonstandard
  • /ˈfɔɹəɹd/
    Pronunciation notes
    • General-American
    • dated
  • /ˈfoːwəd/
    Pronunciation notes
    • Australia
    • Estuary-English
    • New-Zealand
  • /foːd/
    Pronunciation notes
    • New-Zealand
    • unstressed

Adjective

  1. Situated toward or at the front of something.

    Examples

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

    the forward gun in a ship

    More examples (1)

    the forward ship in a fleet

  2. Situated toward or at the front of something. Situated toward or near the enemy lines.

    Usage
    • of troops
    Examples

    The forward battalion took a hammering.

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

    Examples

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

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

    Examples

    forward motion, forward thrust, forward momentum

  5. Moving in the desired direction of progress.

    Usage
    • Figurative
    Examples

    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.

    Examples

    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.

    Examples

    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.

    Examples

    These students are very forward in their learning.

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

    More examples (2)

    The most forward bud / Is eaten by the canker ere it blow.

    You promiſt Knighthood to our forward ſonne, / Vnſheath your ſword, and dub him preſently.

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

    Examples

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

    More examples (2)

    […] 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.

    He said that if one offered himself to be a soldier under him, who was forward to tell what he could or would do, if he could only get sight of the enemy, he had but little confidence in him.

    "Would you think it forward of me to kiss you?" asked Tristran.

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

    Examples

    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.

    More examples (4)

    […] appetizing home bakes as well as moreish desserts and citrus-forward drinks and cocktails.

    The yelow Chartreuse adds extra herbal and spice notes to the drink as well as being a digestif, making this drink the perfect follow-up to a big, spicy meal. It uses a local gin from Ampersand Distilling, which is very bright and citrus forward, further complementing the citrus notes of the drink.

    "It's not meme money; you know I curate and execute a brand-forward content experience […] for my clients."

    Fresh oregano has a very forward flavor, once it is dried or cooked, it's a bit more mellow.

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

    Usage
    • Obsolete
    Examples

    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.

Adverb

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

    Usage
    • not-comparable
    Examples

    She was sitting well forward in the railway carriage.

    The bus driver told everyone standing up to move forward.

    More examples (1)

    A great bargain also had been the excellent Axminster carpet which covered the floor; as, again, the arm-chair in which Bunting now sat forward, staring into the dull, small fire. In fact, that arm-chair had been an extravagance of Mrs. Bunting. She had wanted her husband to be comfortable after the day's work was done, and she had paid thirty-seven shillings for the chair.

  2. At, near or towards the front of something. At, near, or towards the bow of a vessel (with the frame of reference within the vessel).

    Usage
    • not-comparable
    Examples

    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.

    Usage
    • not-comparable
    Examples

    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.

    Usage
    • not-comparable
    Examples

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

    Wind the film forward a few frames.

    More examples (2)

    Don't forget to put the clocks forward by one hour tonight!

    We need to move this project forward.

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

    Usage
    • not-comparable
    Examples

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

  6. In the usual order or sequence.

    Usage
    • not-comparable
    Examples

    A palindrome reads the same backward as forward.

  7. Into the future.

    Usage
    • not-comparable
    Examples

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

    More examples (1)

    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.

    Usage
    • not-comparable
    Examples

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

Verb

  1. To advance, promote.

    Usage
    • Transitive
    Examples

    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.

    Usage
    • Transitive
    Examples

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

    More examples (1)

    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.

    Usage
    • Transitive
  4. To arrive, come.

    Usage
    • Caribbean
    • Intransitive

Noun

  1. One of the eight players (comprising two props, one hooker, two locks, two flankers and one number eight, collectively known as the pack) whose primary task is to gain and maintain possession of the ball (compare back).

    Broader terms
  2. One of the eight players (comprising two props, one hooker, two locks, two flankers and one number eight, collectively known as the pack) whose primary task is to gain and maintain possession of the ball (compare back). (soccer) A player on a team in football (soccer) in the row nearest to the opposing team's goal, who are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals. A player on a team in football (soccer) in the row nearest to the opposing team's goal, who are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals.

    Broader terms
  3. An umbrella term for a centre or winger in ice hockey.

  4. The small forward or power forward position; two frontcourt positions that are taller than guards but shorter than centers.

  5. The front part of a vessel.

  6. An e-mail message that is forwarded to another recipient or recipients; an electronic chain letter.

    Usage
    • Internet
    Examples
    More examples (2)

    When you receive your new pen-pal's email address, do not automatically put it in your address book and use the email Addy to send 'forwards' to. Not every pen pal likes 'forwards', especially jokes and meaningless emails.

    This method attaches the files to a new email, which is fine if you want to create a new email. The only problem with this is that it doesn't work if you'd rather send forwards or replies.

  7. A direct agreement between two parties to buy or sell an asset at a specific point in the future; distinguished from a futures contract in that the latter is standardized and traded on an exchange.

Noun

  1. Agreement; covenant.

    Usage
    • dialectal
    • Obsolete

Adjective

  1. at or near or directed toward the front

    Antonyms
    Examples

    the forward section of the aircraft

    a forward plunge down the stairs

    More examples (1)

    forward motion

  2. used of temperament or behavior; lacking restraint or modesty

    Antonyms
    Examples

    a forward child badly in need of discipline

  3. of the transmission gear causing forward movement in a motor vehicle

    Antonyms
    Examples

    in a forward gear

  4. moving forward

Noun

  1. the person who plays the position of forward in certain games, such as basketball, soccer, or hockey

  2. a position on a basketball, soccer, or hockey team

    Broader terms

Adverb

  1. at or to or toward the front; forward

    Antonyms
    Examples

    he faced forward

    step forward

    More examples (1)

    she practiced sewing backward as well as frontward on her new sewing machine

  2. forward in time or order or degree

    Synonyms
    Examples

    from that time forth

    from the sixth century onward

  3. toward the future; forward in time

    Synonyms
    Antonyms
    Examples

    I like to look ahead in imagination to what the future may bring

    I look forward to seeing you

  4. in a forward direction

    Examples

    go ahead

    the train moved ahead slowly

    More examples (3)

    the boat lurched ahead

    moved onward into the forest

    they went slowly forward in the mud

  5. near or toward the bow of a ship or cockpit of a plane

    Synonyms
    Examples

    the captain went fore (or forward) to check the instruments

Verb

  1. send or ship onward from an intermediate post or station in transit

    Synonyms
    Broader terms
    Examples

    forward my mail

Word forms
further forwardfarther forwardmore forwardforwarderfurthest forwardfarthest forwardmost forwardforwardmostforwardestforewardforrardforradforredforwardsforwardingforwardedforwardedforwards

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