forwork

forwork

English

Etymology

From Middle English forwirken, forwerken, forwurchen, from Old English forwerċan, forwyrċan (“to do wrong, sin; ruin, undo, destroy; condemn, convict, curse; forfeit; barricade, obstruct, close up”), from Proto-Germanic *frawurkijaną, equivalent to for- +‎ work. Cognate with Dutch verwerken (“to digest, assimilate, work up, put into action”), German verwirken (“to forfeit”), Gothic 𐍆𐍂𐌰𐍅𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌺𐌾𐌰𐌽 (frawaurkjan).

Verb

forwork (third-person singular simple present forworks, present participle forworking, simple past and past participle forworked or forwrought)

1. (archaic, transitive) To forfeit (a possession, privilege, etc.); ruin (oneself) by one's own conduct.
2. (archaic, transitive) To obstruct; barricade; block.
   • 1881, Grant Allen, Early Britain:

     And Æthelwold sat within the ham, with the men that to him had bowed, and he had forwrought [obstructed] all the gates in, and said that he would either there live or there lie.

3. (archaic, transitive) To do wrong to; injure; scathe.
4. (archaic, transitive) To overwork; exhaust with toil.
   • 1889, St. John's College (University of Cambridge), The Eagle:

     And toiling so, well-nigh forwrought, She prayed full fervently; […]