forward

English Online Dictionary. What means forward‎? What does forward mean?

English

Alternative forms

• foreward (obsolete)
• forrard, forrad, forred (dialect or nautical)

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈfɔːwəd/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈfɔɹwəɹd/, (nonstandard) /ˈfoʊwəɹd/, (dated) /ˈfɔɹəɹd/
• (General Australian, Estuary English, New Zealand) IPA^(key): /ˈfoːwəd/
• (New Zealand, unstressed form) IPA^(key): /foːd/
• Rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)wə(ɹ)d, -oʊ(ɹ)wə(ɹ)d, -ɔɹə(ɹ)d, -ɔː(ɹ)d
• Homophone: foreword
• Hyphenation: for‧ward

Etymology 1

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”).

Adjective

forward (not comparable)

1. (not comparable) Situated toward or at the front of something.
   1. (of troops, guns etc.) Situated toward or near the enemy lines.

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

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

4. (figuratively) Moving in the desired direction of progress.
5. Having the usual order or sequence.

6. (finance, commerce) Expected or scheduled to take place in the future.

7. Advanced beyond the usual degree; advanced for the season; precocious.
8. Without customary restraint or modesty; bold, cheeky, pert, presumptuous or pushy.
   • 1999:, Neil Gaiman, Stardust, pg. 44 (2001 Perennial paperback edition)

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

9. (obsolete) Ready; prompt; ardently inclined; in a bad sense, eager or hasty. [to 19th century]

Usage notes

• The superlative forwardmost can be used for the "toward or at the front" sense. There does not appear to be a forwardmore. The comparative forwarder and superlative forwardest exist for certain senses, but are relatively uncommon.

Synonyms

• (at the front): anterior, front
• (expected in the future): forecast, predicted
• (without customary restraint): bold, fresh, impertinent, brazen

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “at the front”): back, posterior, rear
• (antonym(s) of “expected in the future”): past
• (antonym(s) of “without customary restraint”): restrained

Translations

Adverb

forward (not comparable)

1. At, near or towards the front of something.
   1. (nautical) At, near, or towards the bow of a vessel (with the frame of reference within the vessel).
2. In the direction in which someone or something is facing.

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

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

5. In the usual order or sequence.

6. Into the future.
7. To an earlier point in time. See also bring forward.

Synonyms

• (towards the front): forwards
• (in the usual direction of progress): ahead, forth, on, onward, onwards
• (into the future): forth, forwards, hereon, on, onward, onwards

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “towards the front”): back, backward, backwards, rearwards
• (antonym(s) of “in the usual direction of progress”): back, backward, backwards, rearwards, in reverse
• (antonym(s) of “into the future”): backward, backwards, into the past
• (antonym(s) of “earlier in time”): back

Hyponyms

• straightforward

Derived terms

• spring forward, fall back

Translations

Verb

forward (third-person singular simple present forwards, present participle forwarding, simple past and past participle forwarded)

1. (transitive) To advance, promote.
2. (transitive) To send (a letter, email etc.) on to a third party.
3. (transitive, bookbinding) To assemble (a book) by sewing sections, attaching cover boards, and so on.
4. (intransitive, Caribbean) To arrive, come.

Synonyms

• (send (something received) on to a third party): pass on

Derived terms

Descendants

• Dutch: forwarden

Translations

Noun

forward (plural forwards)

1. (rugby) 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).
3. (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.

   Synonyms: attacker, striker, front man

   Hypernyms: player < person

   Hyponym: centre forward

4. (ice hockey) An umbrella term for a centre or winger in ice hockey.
5. (basketball) The small forward or power forward position; two frontcourt positions that are taller than guards but shorter than centers.
6. (nautical) The front part of a vessel.
7. (Internet) An e-mail message that is forwarded to another recipient or recipients; an electronic chain letter.
8. (finance) 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.

   Synonym: forward contract

9. Misspelling of foreword (“preface or introduction”).

Derived terms

Translations

Etymology 2

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.

Noun

forward (plural forwards)

1. (dialectal or obsolete) Agreement; covenant.

References

• “forward”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
• William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “forward”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC.

Anagrams

• Warford, froward

Czech

Alternative forms

• forvard

Etymology

Borrowed from English forward.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈforvart]
• Hyphenation: for‧ward

Noun

forward m anim

1. (soccer, ice hockey) forward

Declension

Derived terms

Noun

forward m inan

1. (soccer, ice hockey) forward line

   Synonyms: útok, ofenziva

   Antonym: obrana
2. (business) forward contract

   Synonym: forwardový kontrakt

Declension

Derived terms

Further reading

• “forward”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957

Middle English

Etymology 1

Adjective

forward

1. Alternative form of foreward

Adverb

forward

1. Alternative form of foreward

Etymology 2

Noun

forward

1. Alternative form of foreward

Etymology 3

Noun

forward

1. Alternative form of forwird

Swedish

Etymology

Borrowed from English forward. First attested in 1891.

Noun

forward c

1. (soccer) forward (player whose usual task is to attack or score goals)

Declension

Derived terms

• toppforward

Further reading

• forward in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• forward in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• forward in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)