foreshow

foreshow

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English foreschewen, from Old English forescēawian (“to foreshow, foresee; preordain, decree, appoint; provide, furnish with”), equivalent to fore- +‎ show. Cognate with Dutch voorschouwen, German vorschauen.

Alternative forms

• foreshew

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /fɔːˈʃəʊ/, /fɔəˈʃəʊ/

Verb

foreshow (third-person singular simple present foreshows, present participle foreshowing, simple past foreshowed, past participle foreshown)

1. (transitive, archaic) To show in advance; to foretell, predict.
2. (transitive, obsolete) To foreshadow or prefigure.
   • 1841, Francis Bacon, Basil Montagu, The Works of Francis Bacon, Lord Chancellor of England:

     But if the rays break forth out of the middle, or dispersed, and its exterior body, or the out parts of it, be covered with clouds, it foreshows great tempests both of wind and rain.

Etymology 2

From fore- +‎ show.

Noun

foreshow (plural foreshows)

1. (obsolete) A manifestation in advance; a prior indication.
   • 1603, John Florio, transl.; Michel de Montaigne, The Essayes, […], printed at London: By Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], OCLC 946730821:

     , Folio Society, 2006, vol.1, p.139:

     The fore-shew of their inclination whilest they are young is so uncertaine […] that it is very hard, (yea for the wisest) to ground any certaine judgement […].