forward

A2 Topic:Space, Position & Direction

Also spelled forarder, for’ard, and for’rard

US /ˈfɔɹwəɹd/ UK /ˈfɔːwəd/ See IPA manual

Freq #919

Meanings

1

adv
Toward the front; in the direction ahead.

I like to face forward on trains.
2

adv
Toward the future; ahead in time.

Let's move the meeting forward to next Monday.
3

verb
To send a letter, email, or message on to another person or address.

Could you forward my mail to my new address?
4

adj
Located at or near the front of something.

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

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adv · toward the front; in the... forwards

2 adv · toward the future; ahead in... ahead

3 verb · to send a letter, email, or... send on

More anterior front

Opposites

back backward backwards posterior rear rearwards restrained

Word family

Forms forwardedforwardingforwardness

Derived forms carryforwardcentre-forwardfashion-forwardfast-forwardfeed-forwardfeedforwardflashforwardforward-declareforward-leaningforward-lookingforward-lookingnessforward-thinking

Appears in

Phrases (2)

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Idioms (1)

See all

put your best foot forward
to make a good first impression by showing your best side

Proverbs (1)

See all

One step forward, two steps back

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.

foreward Middle English foreweard Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Space, Position & Direction

External links

# forward

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** adv, verb, adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈfɔɹwəɹd/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈfɔːwəd/
**Frequency rank:** 919

## Meanings
1. Toward the front; in the direction ahead.
2. Toward the future; ahead in time.
3. To send a letter, email, or message on to another person or address.
4. Located at or near the front of something.

## Examples
- I like to face forward on trains.
- Let's move the meeting forward to next Monday.
- Could you forward my mail to my new address?
- The fire was confined to the forward part of the store.

## Synonyms
- anterior
- forwards
- front

## Antonyms
- back
- backward
- backwards
- posterior
- rear
- rearwards
- restrained

## Derived Forms
- carryforward
- centre-forward
- fashion-forward
- fast-forward
- feed-forward
- feedforward
- flashforward
- forward-declare
- forward-leaning
- forward-looking
- forward-lookingness
- forward-thinking

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: foreward
- Root: foreweard
- Affix: -ward - in the direction of

## 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.

## AI Etymology
Forward comes 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. In current use, the main senses are “Toward the front; in the direction ahead” and “Toward the future; ahead in time”.

## Topics
- Space, Position & Direction

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forward

Meanings

Verb forms

Thesaurus

Appears in

Phrases (2)

Idioms (1)

Proverbs (1)

Etymology

Topics

External links

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