Etimology
From Middle English foreward, from Old English foreweard (“forward, inclined to the front, fore, early, former”), from Proto-Germanic *fura- (“fore-”), *warþaz (“turned”), equivalent to fore + -ward. Cognate with Dutch voorwaarts (“forward”), German vorwärts (“forward”).
adjective
forward (not comparable)
(not comparable) Situated toward or at the front of something.
Acting in or pertaining to the direction in which someone or something is facing.
Acting in or pertaining to the direction of travel or movement.
(figuratively) Moving in the desired direction of progress.
Having the usual order or sequence.
(finance, commerce) Expected or scheduled to take place in the future.
Advanced beyond the usual degree; advanced for the season; precocious.
Without customary restraint or modesty; bold, cheeky, pert, presumptuous or pushy.
(obsolete) Ready; prompt; ardently inclined; in a bad sense, eager or hasty. [to 19th century]
Examples
The fire was confined to the forward portion of the store.
the forward gun in a ship, the forward ship in a fleet
The forward battalion took a hammering.
My forward vision is fine, but my peripheral vision is poor.
forward motion, forward thrust, forward momentum
This is an important forward step for the country.
The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today. Let us move forward with strong and active faith.
The front of the fire engine has backward writing, that can be read in a mirror, as well as forward writing.
The stock price is currently 12 times forward earnings.
The price for forward delivery is presently higher than the spot price.
These students are very forward in their learning.
The grass is forward, or forward for the season. We have a forward spring.
The most forward bud / Is eaten by the canker ere it blow.
She is a very forward young lady, not afraid to speak her mind.
[…] the lady conceived the same desires with himself, and was on her side contriving how to give the captain proper encouragement, without appearing too forward; for she was a strict observer of all rules of decorum.
He said that if one offered himself to be a soldier under him, who was forward to tell what he could or would do, if he could only get sight of the enemy, he had but little confidence in him.
"Would you think it forward of me to kiss you?" asked Tristran.
Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.
Nor do we find him forward to be sounded.
Related words
synonyms
(at the front): anterior, front
(expected in the future): forecast, predicted
(without customary restraint): bold, fresh, impertinent, brazen
antonyms
(antonym(s) of "at the front"): back, posterior, rear
(antonym(s) of "expected in the future"): past
(antonym(s) of "without customary restraint"): restrained
adverb
forward (not comparable)
At, near or towards the front of something.
In the direction in which someone or something is facing.
In the desired or usual direction of movement or progress, physically or figuratively; onwards.
So that front and back are in the usual orientation.
In the usual order or sequence.
Into the future.
To an earlier point in time. See also bring forward.
Examples
She was sitting well forward in the railway carriage.
The bus driver told everyone standing up to move forward.
A great bargain also had been the excellent Axminster carpet which covered the floor; as, again, the arm-chair in which Bunting now sat forward, staring into the dull, small fire. In fact, that arm-chair had been an extravagance of Mrs. Bunting. She had wanted her husband to be comfortable after the day's work was done, and she had paid thirty-seven shillings for the chair.
Most of the men are sleeping forward, for it is near midnight, but a stout swarthy Arab, Mahomed by name, stands at the tiller, lazily steering by the stars.
I leant forward to get a better look.
The grandfather clock toppled forward and crashed to the ground.
After spending an hour stuck in the mud, we could once again move forward.
Wind the film forward a few frames.
Don't forget to put the clocks forward by one hour tonight!
We need to move this project forward.
Don't wear your baseball cap backward; turn it forward.
A palindrome reads the same backward as forward.
From this day forward, there will be no more brussels sprouts at the cafeteria.
The humor of my proposition appealed more strongly to Miss Trevor than I had looked for, and from that time forward she became her old self again; for, even after she had conquered her love for the Celebrity, the mortification of having been jilted by him remained.
The meeting has been moved forward an hour. It was at 3 o'clock; now it's at 2 o'clock.
Related words
synonyms
(towards the front): forwards
(in the usual direction of progress): ahead, forth, on, onward, onwards
(into the future): forth, forwards, hereon, on, onward, onwards
antonyms
(antonym(s) of "towards the front"): back, backward, backwards, rearwards
(antonym(s) of "in the usual direction of progress"): back, backward, backwards, rearwards, in reverse
(antonym(s) of "into the future"): backward, backwards, into the past
(antonym(s) of "earlier in time"): back
hyponyms
straightforward
verb
forward (third-person singular simple present forwards, present participle forwarding, simple past and past participle forwarded)
(transitive) To advance, promote.
(transitive) To send (a letter, email etc.) on to a third party.
(transitive, bookbinding) To assemble (a book) by sewing sections, attaching cover boards, and so on.
Examples
He did all he could to forward the interests of the school.
Mary had a suspicion that this plan had been arranged beforehand, for she knew how the lewd old woman loved to forward love affairs […].
One of the most important aspects of the social service operation was the maintaining of a telephone "hot line," supposedly available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week […] This unbelievable achievement was accomplished with the expedient of "call forwarding" which made it possible for all the calls coming in to the CHAT office to be sent by means of technical magic to any other telephone in the area.
I'll be glad to forward your mail to you while you're gone.
Related words
synonyms
(send (something received) on to a third party): pass on
noun
forward (plural forwards)
(rugby) One of the eight players (comprising two props, one hooker, two locks, two flankers and one number eight, collectively known as the pack) whose primary task is to gain and maintain possession of the ball (compare back).
(soccer) A player on a team in football (soccer) in the row nearest to the opposing team's goal, who are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals.
(ice hockey) An umbrella term for a centre or winger in ice hockey.
(basketball) The small forward or power forward position; two frontcourt positions that are taller than guards but shorter than centers.
(nautical) The front part of a vessel.
(Internet) An e-mail message that is forwarded to another recipient or recipients; an electronic chain letter.
(finance) A direct agreement between two parties to buy or sell an asset at a specific point in the future; distinguished from a futures contract in that the latter is standardized and traded on an exchange.
Misspelling of foreword (“preface or introduction”)..
Examples
Synonyms: attacker, centre forward, striker
When you receive your new pen-pal's email address, do not automatically put it in your address book and use the email Addy to send 'forwards' to. Not every pen pal likes 'forwards', especially jokes and meaningless emails.
This method attaches the files to a new email, which is fine if you want to create a new email. The only problem with this is that it doesn't work if you'd rather send forwards or replies.
Synonym: forward contract
Etimology
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.
noun
forward (plural forwards)
(dialectal or obsolete) Agreement; covenant.