forlorn

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   Sad and lonely, especially because of being left alone or abandoned.

   The forlorn puppy waited at the gate for an owner who never came.

2. 2
   adj

   Very unlikely to succeed; almost hopeless.

   They made one last forlorn attempt to save the failing business.

3. 3
   adj

   Abandoned or deserted; left behind.

   The forlorn cottage had stood empty for decades.

From Middle English forlorn, forloren, from Old English forloren (past participle of forlēosan (“to lose”)), from Proto-Germanic *fraluzanaz (“lost”), past participle of Proto-Germanic *fraleusaną (“to lose”), equivalent to for- + lorn. Cognate with West Frisian ferlern (“lost”), Saterland Frisian ferlädden (“lost”), Dutch verloren (“lost”), German Low German verloren (“lost”), German verloren (“lost”), Swedish förlorad (“lost”). See further at lese/leese, lorn.

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