Forespeak

v. Also for-. [f. FORE- pref. + SPEAK v.]

  1.  trans. To speak beforehand; to speak of beforehand, esp. to foretell, predict. Now rare. † Occasionally of a thing: To betoken.

1375.  Barbour, Bruce, I. 629.

1548.  Gest, Pr. Masse, 110. Hys antecedent whych was not to sacryfyce his body wherof he forspoke never word.

1654.  H. L’Estrange, Chas. I. (1655), 91. Every man would now be wise and fore-speak fair weather, and harmony between the King and Subject, how truly a few moneths will discover.

1667.  Disc. Religion of England, 27. Though a peoples discomposure doth not forespeak Warrs and Tumults, yet it may denounce Woe and Misery.

1850.  Blackie, Æschylus, I. 165.

1877.  J. B. Taylor, in Internal. Rev., IV. May, 417–8. He [Tennyson] has not ventured beyond the common level of speculation, nor forespoken the deeper problems which shall engage the generation to come.

  † b.  To speak to (a person) beforehand. Obs.

1635.  J. Hayward, trans. Biondi’s Ban. Virgin, 143. My Physitian had, in fore-speaking the women (as you have heard) made every of them beleeve, that (because he had no children of his owne) he would bestow nursing and breeding on what they should bee delivered of.

1692.  Wagstaffe, Vind. Carol., Pref. Our Author has forespoken his Reader with a long Preface.

  † 2.  intr. To speak beforehand; chiefly, to utter predictions, prophesy.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 2947 (Cott.). Als sco for spak, right sua þai wroght.

1557.  Calvin, in N. T. (Genev.), The Epistle, *iv. First Isaie forespake vnto us, how that he sholde be borne of a Virgine.

1586.  J. Hooker, Girald. Irel., in Holinshed, II. 43/1. Then was fulfilled the old prophesie of Celodine the Irish prophet who forespeaking of this battell said, that there should be such a great bloudshed therein of the Irish people, that the enimies perceiuing them should wade vp to the knees in bloud.

1646.  P. Bulkeley, Gospel Covt., I. 110. These are the days fore-spoken of.

1656.  Cromwell, Sp., 17 Sept., in Burton’s Diary (1828), Introd. I. p. cliv–clv. Your danger is from the common enemy abroad, who is the head of the Papal interest, the head of the anti-Christian interest, that is so described in Scripture, so forespoken of, and so fully in that characteral name given him by the Apostle.

  † 3.  trans. To speak forth or out; to proclaim.

1546.  J. Heywood, Prov. (1867), 31.

a. 1547.  Surrey, Ps. lxxiii. 66.

  4.  To speak for or bespeak in advance.

1659.  H. L’Estrange, Alliance Div. Off., 36. That they might the better forespeak impunity for so strange boldness, they exhibit their Muster-roll thus formidable.

1882.  Ogilv., Forespeak … to buy a thing before it is fit or in the market; to bespeak; as, that calf is forespoken. (Scotch).

  Hence Forespeaking ppl. a.

1650.  W. Sclater, Malachy, Ep. Ded., 6–7. As Aristotle (the Patriarch of Philosophers) writes of some, that they have [Greek], as it were forespeaking, and (after Zanchy’s expression) præsagient, conjecturing natures.