Also 4–6 forsee, (6 force, Sc. foirsee). [OE. foreséon, f. FORE- pref. + séon to SEE; cf. Ger. vorsehen.]
1. trans. To see beforehand, have prescience of. Often with obj. and inf. or with clause as obj.
c. 1000. Ags. Ps. cxxxviii. [cxxxix.] 2 (Th.).
| Þu ealle mine weȝas | |
| wel fore-sawe. |
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 2246.
| Ne not holsom, I hope, þat hedis to þe first, | |
| And for-sees not the fer end, what may falle after. |
1513. More, in Grafton, Chron. (1568). II. 781. He that of good heart and courage foresawe no perilles.
1581. J. Merbecke, A Booke of Notes and Common places, 331. God did fore-see and fore-knowe, that they should be dampned.
1611. Bible, Prov. xxvii. 12. A prudent man foreseeth the euil, and hideth himselfe: but the simple passe on, and are punished.
1630. Prynne, Anti-Armin., 116. Man must be good, be gratious, be elected, or reiected onley because God from all eternity foresaw them in themselues to be such.
1725. De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 41. There was a great many of them, and I presently foresaw, that, if I went to the extremity, I should spoil the voyage, though I conquered them.
1816. Jane Austen, Emma, I. iv. 47. As a walking companion, Emma had very early foreseen how useful she might find her.
1883. Froude, Short Stud., IV. I. x. 112. If the king acted, the king might be excommunicated, and the empire might be laid under interdict, with the consequences which every one foresaw.
absol. 1667. Milton, P. L., I. 626.
| What power of mind | |
| Foreseeing or presaging, from the Depth | |
| Of knowledge past or present. |
a. 1881. Rossetti, House of Life, x.
| Lo! it is done. Above the enthroning throat | |
| The mouth’s mould testifies of voice and kiss, | |
| The shadowed eyes remember and foresee. |
† b. Sc. To see previously; to have an interview with (a person) beforehand; to inspect or consider beforehand. Obs.
1592. Sc. Acts Jas. VI. (1814), III. 627. For dyuerss vtheris wechtie caussis and guid considerationis foirsene be his hienes and estatis.
1625. Burgh Rec. Glasgow (1876), 348. That na maner of persoun, burges nor inhabitant within the burgh, pas heireftir to the said realme of England without thai first foirsie the prouest and bailleis.
1663. Spalding, Troub. Chas. I. (1829), 66. Thir articles were foreseen by the tables at Edinburgh, and order given to refuse the samen, which the commissioner beheld patiently.
† 2. To prepare beforehand or provide; in early use with dat. of person, later with to. Also, to provide of or with (something). Obs.
c. 900. trans. Bæda’s Hist., IV. i. (1891), 256. Þæt he him on his biscopscire ȝerisne stowe foreseȝe & salde.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, X. xii. 134.
| Thou sall de fyrst, quhat evyr to me forseyne | |
| Or providyt has mychty Jove. |
1637. R. Monro, Exped., II. 133. This Leaguer … at all sorting Ports, being well foreseene with slaught-bomes and triangles.
† b. To see to or take care about beforehand; to provide for or against. With simple obj., or obj. clause introduced by that. Obs.
c. 900. trans. Bæda’s Hist., I. xxvii. (1891), 66. Swylce eac be heora ondlifne is to þencenne and to foreseonne þæt [etc.].
1526. Househ. Ord. (1790), 139. The sewers and surveyors to have semblably charge to forsee that no part of the fruict soe sett forth at the dresser, be in any wise purloyned, taken away, or embesseled, but wholly served as it is sett forth.
1565. Act 8 Eliz., c. 13 § 1. The Master, Wardens and Assistants of the Trinity-house … are bound to foresee the good Increase and Maintenance of Ships.
1577. Hanmer, Anc. Eccl. Hist., 251. He supposed it was his bounden duety to foresee lest the the Canons and Decrees of that councell should any way be impayred.
1590. Greene, Never too Late (1600), 62. He that forerepents forsees many perils.
1604. Nottingham Rec. (1889), IV. 267. The 7 Aldermen to be assisted with 3 others weekely shall be ouerseers for the towne to forsee the daunger of the visitacion.
1622. Callis, Stat. Sewers (1647), 5. The King by the Tenure and Prerogative of His Crown, was bound to see and foresee the safety of this Realm.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 699. In Horse-Races, Men are curious to fore-see, that there be not the least Weight, vpon the one Horse, more than vpon the other.
† 3. intr. To exercise foresight, take care or precaution, make provision. Also, to look to or into beforehand. Obs.
1551. T. Wilson, Logike (1580), 84. Fire, nor yet water doe harme of them selves, but … the negligence of man, whiche forseeth not to them.
a. 1590. Marr. Wit & Wisd. (1846), 8. Well, as for that I shall for-se.
1594. First Pt. Contention (1843), 33. Suffol. Well hath your grace foreseen into that Duke.
1624. Quarles, Div. Poems, Job (1717), 228.
| He plots, complots, forsees, prevents, directs, | |
| He hopes, he fears, he doubts, pursues, effects. |
a. 1626. Bacon, Adv. Villiers, Wks. 1740, III. 578. A King, against a storm, must foresee, to have a convenient stock of treasure; and neither be without money, which is the sinews of war, nor to depend upon the curtesy of others, which may fail at a pinch.
† 4. (Alway) foreseen or foreseeing that: provided that.
1434. E. E. Wills (1882), 99. Fforseen alwey, that yf the seyde Kateryne & Iohane my doughtres dye withinne laweful age.
1533. Elyot, Cast. Helthe, II. i. (1541), 16 b. Forseene alwaye that they eate withoute gourmandyse.
1550. Privy Council Acts (1891), III. 79. Forseing that of their waiges they content their hostes for their victailes.
1600. W. Vaughan, Directions for Health (1633), 32. Foreseene also that they that shall drinke it thus, be not subject to the Chollicke.
Hence Foreseeing vbl. sb.; Foreseeing ppl. a., characterized by foresight. Fore-seeingly adv.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, IV. 961 (989).
| But it were rather an opinyon | |
| Uncertein, and no stedfast forseynge. |
1536. Latimer, 2nd Serm. bef. Convocation, Wks. I. 43. Ought we to attribute it, to your industry, or to the providence of God, and the forseeing of the kings Grace?
1567. Triall Treas. (1850), 18.
| Be circumspect, therefore, forseing and sapient, | |
| For treasures here gotten are uncertain and vaine, | |
| But treasures of the mynde do continually remaine. |
1594. Marlowe & Nashe, Dido, IV. iii.
| Ach. Banish that ticing dame from forth your mouth, | |
| And follow your fore-seeing stars in all. |
a. 1653. Gouge, Comm. Heb. xi. 39. His [Gods] fore-seeing of this and that is justly stiled a providing it.
1728. Vanbr. & Cib., Prov. Husb., I. Unc. Rich. What prudent cares does this deep foreseeing nation take for the support of its worshipful families!
1802. H. Martin, Helen of Glenross, I. 105. Your gloomy croaking ominous foreseeings.
1845. W. H. Kelly, trans. L. Blanc’s The History of the Ten Years, 1830–40, II. 583. They regretted that the evacuation of Ancona should have been effected without those guarantees which a wise and foreseeing policy should have stipulated for.
1857. Ruskin, Elem. Drawing, iii. 205. Whether you have one, or ten, or twenty processes to go through, you must go straight through them, knowingly and foreseeingly all the way.
