Link Centre Dictionary

forward

for·ward

UK/ˈfɔːwəd/ US/ˈfɔɹwəɹd/ very common
adverb (5) adjective (7) verb (1) noun (2)

adverb

1.

at or to or toward the front

  • “he faced forward”
  • “step forward”
  • “she practiced sewing backward as well as frontward on her new sewing machine”
  • “forrad”
  • “forrard”
Synonyms
Antonyms
2.

forward in time or order or degree

  • “from that time forth”
  • “from the sixth century onward”
Synonyms
3.

toward the future; forward in time

  • “I like to look ahead in imagination to what the future may bring”
  • “I look forward to seeing you”
Synonyms
Antonyms
4.

in a forward direction

  • “go ahead”
  • “the train moved ahead slowly”
  • “the boat lurched ahead”
  • “moved onward into the forest”
  • “they went slowly forward in the mud”
Synonyms
5.

near or toward the bow of a ship or cockpit of a plane

  • “the captain went fore (or forward) to check the instruments”
Synonyms
Antonyms

adjective

1.

at or near or directed toward the front

  • “the forward section of the aircraft”
  • “a forward plunge down the stairs”
  • “forward motion”
Antonyms
Similar
2.

moving toward a position ahead

  • “forward motion”
  • “the onward course of events”
Synonyms
Similar
3.

used of temperament or behavior; lacking restraint or modesty

  • “a forward child badly in need of discipline”
Antonyms
Similar
4.

of the transmission gear causing forward movement in a motor vehicle

  • “in a forward gear”
Antonyms
Similar
5.
6.

situated at or toward the front

  • “the fore cabins”
  • “the forward part of the ship”
Similar
7.

situated in the front

  • “the forward section of the aircraft”
Similar

verb

1.

send or ship onward from an intermediate post or station in transit

  • “forward my mail”
Synonyms

noun

1.

the person who plays the position of forward on a basketball team

2.

Origin

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.

Phrases

  • back and forward
  • backward and forward
  • backward in coming forward
  • blow forward
  • cab forward
  • carriage forward
  • carry forward
  • center forward
  • spring forward, fall back

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

Narrower terms

See also

Parts

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.