Emily Dickinson Lexicon

FOR-GIVE-NESS, n. [forgiv'ness.]

1. The act of forgiving; the pardon of an offender, by which he is considered and treated as not guilty. The forgiveness of enemies is a Christian duty.
2. The pardon or remission of an offense or crime; as, the forgiveness of sin or of injuries.
3. Disposition to pardon; willingness to forgive. And mild forgiveness intercede / To stop the coming blow. Dryden.
4. Remission of a debt, fine or penalty.

FOR-GIV'ER, n.

One who pardons or remits.

FOR-GIV'ING, ppr.

1. Pardoning; remitting.
2. adj. Disposed to forgive; inclined to overlook offenses; mild; merciful; compassionate; as, a forgiving temper.

FOR-GOT', or FOR-GOT'TEN, pp.

of forget.

FOR-HAIL, v.t.

To draw or distress. [Not used.] Spenser.

FO-RIN'SE-CAL, a. [L. forinsecus.]

Foreign; alien. [Little used.]

FO-RIS-FA-MIL'IATE, v.t. [L. foris, without, and familia, family.]

To renounce a legal title to a further share of paternal inheritance. Literally, to put one's self out of the family. El. of Criticism.

FO-RIS-FA-MIL-I-A'TION, n.

When a child has received a portion of his father's estate, and renounces all title to a further share, his act is called forisfamiliation, and he is said to be forisfamiliated. Encyc.

FORK, n. [Sax. forc; D. vork; W. forc; Fr. fourche; Arm. fork; Sp. horca; Port. and It. forca; L. furca.]

1. An instrument consisting of a handle, and a blade of metal, divided into two or more points or prongs, used for lifting or pitching any thing; as, a tablefork for feeding; a pitchfork; a dungfork, &c. Forks are also made of ivory, wood, or other material.
2. A point; as, a thunderbolt with three forks. Shakespeare uses it for the point of an arrow.
3. Forks, in the plural, the point where a road parts into two; and the point where a river divides, or rather where two rivers meet and unite in one stream. Each branch is called a fork.

FORK', v.i.

1. To shoot into blades, as corn. Mortimer.
2. To divide into two; as, a road forks.

FORK, v.t.

1. To raise or pitch with a fork, as hay.
2. To dig and break ground with a fork.
3. To make sharp; to point.

FORK'ED, pp.

1. Raised, pitched or dug with a fork.
2. adj. Opening into two or more parts, points or shoots; as, a forked tongue; the forked lightning.
3. Having two or more meanings. [Not in use.] B. Jonson.

FORK'ED-LY, adv.

In a forked form.

FORK'ED-NESS, n.

The quality of opening into two or more parts.

FORK'HEAD, a.

The point of an arrow. Spenser.

FORK'LESS, a.

Having no fork.

FORK'TAIL, n.

A salmon, in his fourth year's growth. [Local.]

FORK'Y, a.

Forked; furcated; opening into two or mort parts, shoots or points; as, a forky tongue. Pope.

FOR-LORE, a.

Forlorn. [Not in use.]

FOR-LORN', a. [Sax. forloren, from forleoran, to send away, to relinquish, to desert, to lose; leoran, to pass, to migrate; D. verlooren; Dan. forloren, from forlorer, Sw. förlora, to lose. Class Lr.]

1. Deserted; destitute; stripped or deprived; forsaken. Hence, lost; helpless; wretched; solitary. Of fortune and of hope at once forlorn. Hubberd. To live again in these wild woods forlorn. Milton. For here forlorn and lost I tread. Goldsmith.
2. Taken away. [Obs.] When as night hath us of light forlorn. Spenser.
3. Small; despicable; in a ludicrous sense. Shak. Forlorn hope, properly, a desperate case; hence in military affairs, a detachment of men appointed to lead in an assault, to storm a counterscarp, enter a breach, or perform other service attended with uncommon peril.

FOR-LORN', n.

A lost, forsaken, solitary person. Shak.

FOR-LORN'LY, adv.

In a forlorn manner. Pollok.

FOR-LORN'NESS, n.

Destitution; misery; a forsaken or wretched condition. Boyle.

FOR-LYE, v.i.

To lye before. [Not used.] Spenser.

FORM, n. [L. forma; Fr. forme; Sp. forma, horma; It. forma; Ir. foirm; D. vorm; G. form; Sw. and Dan. form. The root of this word is not certainly known. The primary sense is probably to set, to fix, to fit. The D. vormen, is rendered, to form, to shape, to mold, to confirm; and form may be allied to firm.]

1. The shape or external appearance of a body; the figure, as defined by lines and angles; that manner of being peculiar to each body, which exhibits it to the eye as distinct from every other body. Thus we speak of the form of a circle, the form of a square or triangle, a circular form, the form of the head or of the human body, a handsome form, an ugly form, a frightful form. Matter is the basis or substratum of bodies; form is the particular disposition of matter in each body which distinguishes its appearance from that of every other body. The form of his visage was changed. Dan. iii. After that he appeared in another form to two of them, as they walked. Mark xvi.
2. Manner of arranging particulars; disposition of particular things; as, a form of words or expressions.
3. Model; draught; pattern. Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast beard of me. 2 Tim. i.
4. Beauty; elegance; splendor; dignity. He hath no form nor comeliness. Is. liii.
5. Regularity; method; order. This is a rough draught to be reduced to form.
6. External appearance without the essential qualities; empty show. Having the farm of godliness, but denying the power thereat 2 Tim. ii.
7. Stated method; established practice; ritual or prescribed mode; as, the forms of public worship; the forms of judicial proceeding; forms of civility.
8. Ceremony; as, it is a mere matter of form.
9. Determinate shape. The earth was without form, and void. Gen. i.
10. Likeness; image. Who, being in the form of God –. Phil. ii. He took on him the form of a servant. Ibm.
11. Manner; system; as, a form of government; a monarchical or republican form.
12. Manner of arrangement; disposition of component parts; as, the interior form or structure of the flesh or bones, or of other bodies.
13. A long seat; a bench without a back. Watts.
14. In schools, a class; a rank of students. Dryden.
15. The seat or bed of a hare. Prior.
16. A mold; something to give shape, or on which things are fashioned. Encyc.
17. In printing, an assemblage of types, composed and arranged in order, disposed into pages or columns, and inclosed and locked in a chase, to receive an impression.
18. Essential form, is that mode of existence which constitutes a thing what it is, and without which it could not exist. Thus water and light have each its particular form of existence, and the parts of water being decomposed, it ceases to be water. Accidental form is not necessary to the existence of a body. Earth is earth still, whatever may be its color.