forspan

forspan

See also: foršpan

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English forspannen, forspanen, from Old English forspanan (“to mislead, lead astray, seduce, entice”), from Proto-Germanic *farspananą, *fraspananą (“to allure”), equivalent to for- +‎ span. Cognate with Middle High German verspanen (“to tempt, entice”).

Verb

forspan (third-person singular simple present forspans, present participle forspanning, simple past and past participle forspanned)

1. (transitive, obsolete) To entice; seduce.

Etymology 2

From fore- +‎ span.

Noun

forspan (uncountable)

1. Foresight; the ability to see, predict, or perceive future events.
   • 1902, Day Otis Kellogg, Thomas Spencer Baynes, William Robertson Smith, The Encyclopaedia Britannica:

     In a remote age and country we find Njal, the hero of the Njal's saga, credited with forspan, or the gift of beholding such shadowy apparitions of future events — a power carefully distinguished from ordinary clear-sighted wisdom.