forge
English
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /fɔːd͡ʒ/
- (General American) IPA(key): /fɔɹd͡ʒ/
- (rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger) IPA(key): /fo(ː)ɹd͡ʒ/
- (non-rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger) IPA(key): /foəd͡ʒ/
- Rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)dʒ
Etymology 1
Borrowed from Old French forge, early Old French faverge, from Latin fabrica (“workshop”), from faber (“workman in hard materials, smith”) (genitive fabri). Cognate with Franco-Provençal favèrge.
Noun
forge (plural forges)
Translations
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Etymology 2
From Anglo-Norman forger, from Old French forgier, from Latin fabrico (“to frame, construct, build”).
Verb
forge (third-person singular simple present forges, present participle forging, simple past and past participle forged)
- (metallurgy) To shape a metal by heating and hammering.
- c. 1599–1602, William Shakespeare, 'Hamlet', Act II, scene ii, line 451:
- On Mars's armor forged for proof eterne
- 1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter II, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], OCLC 752825175, page 071:
- Orion hit a rabbit once; but though sore wounded it got to the bury, and, struggling in, the arrow caught the side of the hole and was drawn out. […]. Ikey the blacksmith had forged us a spearhead after a sketch from a picture of a Greek warrior; and a rake-handle served as a shaft.
- To form or create with concerted effort.
- The politician's recent actions are an effort to forge a relationship with undecided voters.
- (Can we date this quote?) John Locke
- Those names that the schools forged, and put into the mouth of scholars, could never get admittance into common use.
- (Can we date this quote?) Alfred Tennyson
- […] do forge a life-long trouble for ourselves.
- To create a forgery of; to make a counterfeit item of; to copy or imitate unlawfully.
- He had to forge his ex-wife's signature. The jury learned the documents had been forged.
- To make falsely; to produce, as that which is untrue or not genuine; to fabricate.
- 1663, Samuel Butler, Hudibras
- That paltry story is untrue, / And forged to cheat such gulls as you.
- 1663, Samuel Butler, Hudibras
Derived terms
Translations
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Etymology 3
Make way, move ahead, most likely an alteration of force, but perhaps from forge (n.), via notion of steady hammering at something. Originally nautical, in reference to vessels.
Verb
forge (third-person singular simple present forges, present participle forging, simple past and past participle forged)
- (often as forge ahead) To move forward heavily and slowly (originally as a ship); to advance gradually but steadily; to proceed towards a goal in the face of resistance or difficulty.
- The party of explorers forged through the thick underbrush.
- We decided to forge ahead with our plans even though our biggest underwriter backed out.
- (Can we date this quote?) Thomas De Quincey
- And off she [a ship] forged without a shock.
- (sometimes as forge ahead) To advance, move or act with an abrupt increase in speed or energy.
- With seconds left in the race, the runner forged into first place.
Translations
See also
French
Etymology
From Old French forge, from earlier faverge, inherited from Latin fābrica. Doublet of fabrique, which was borrowed.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /fɔʁʒ/
Audio (file) Audio (Paris) (file)
Descendants
Verb
forge
Further reading
- “forge” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).