v. Pa. t. forsook. Pa. pple. forsaken. Forms: Pres. t. 1 forsace, (Northumb. foresacco), 2–3 south. vorsake, (fursake, 4 south. vorsake, forsak, 6 forsayke), 2– forsake. Pa. t. 1 forsóc, 3–4 forso(c)k, south. vorsoc, -k, 3–6 foraoke, (4 forsuk(e, 6 foresoke), 6–7 forsooke, 4– forsook; also 7 weak form forsaked. Pa. pple. 1 forsacen, 3–4 fursake(n, forsakin, -yn, 3 forsoc, 4–6 forsake, 6–9 forsook(e, (7 forsoken), 3– forsaken; weak forms 3–4 forsaked, -id. [OE. forsacan, f. FOR- pref.1 + sacan to contend, dispute, deny; cf. OS. forsakan (Du. verzaken), OHG. firsahhan to deny, repudiate, renounce.]
† 1. trans. To deny (an accusation, an alleged fact, etc.). Obs.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 1767. Stalðe ic for-sake.
1297. R. Glouc. (1724), 473.
| Ȝuf eni clerc as felon were itake, | |
| & vor felon iproued, & ne miȝte it noȝt uorsake. |
c. 1374. Chaucer, Boeth., II. pr. iv. 27. (Camb. MS.). I ne may nat for-sake the ryht swyfte cours of my prosperite.
1389. Serm. (MS. Helm.). Þei [Ananie and Safira] forsoken to Petir here monei þai þei hadden.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 172/2. Forsakyn, and denyyn, abnego.
c. 1511. 1st Eng. Bk. Amer. (Arb.), Introd., p. xxxi/1. They forsake that maria is the moder of god, but they beleue well of I[es]hu.
† b. To deny knowledge of (a person). Obs.
c. 1340. Cursor M., 15997 (Trin.).
| Þat petur herde crowe | |
| Whenne he had forsake his lord | |
| þries on a rowe. |
c. 1400. Maundev. (1839), viii. 91. Seynt Peter forsoke oure Lord thries, or the Cok creew.
† c. To deny, renounce, or repudiate allegiance to (God, a lord, etc.). Also rarely, forsake to.
a. 1225. Juliana, 33. Mi feader & mi moder for þi þat ich nule þe forsaken; habbe forsake me.
c. 1300. Cursor M., 22203.
| Þan sal all þaa, scortli to sai, | |
| Es funden lele in cristen lai, | |
| Oiþer to iesu crist for-sake, | |
| Or underli sa wraful wrake. | |
| Ibid. 25149. | |
| For wicked man, þat godd forsakes, | |
| And to þe warlau werc him takes. |
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 81 b/2. For we haue not folowed the synne of our fadres that forsoken theyr god and worshiped straunge goddes.
1537. Bury Wills (Camden), 131. I also forsake the Bysshoppe of Romes vsurpyt pouer wherin he caused me to trust.
† d. To ‘deny’ (oneself); = DENY v. 7. Obs.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 145. Hwa se wile cume efter me, for-sake him seolf, and bere his rode, and foleȝe me.
c. 1440. Hylton, Scala Perf. (W. de W., 1494), I. xlii. Who soo wyll come after me, forsake hymself.
1576. A. Fleming, A Panoplie of Epistles, 80. As renouncing and forsaking mee selfe.
† 2. To decline or refuse (something offered). With simple obj. or to and inf. Obs.
a. 800. Corpus Gloss., 650. Detractauit, forsooc.
c. 893. K. Ælfred, Oros., II. iv. § 2. An consul þe him to lafe wearð forsoc þone triumphan.
a. 1000. Laws Edgar, ii. § 8. Þone [mynet] nan man ne forsace.
a. 1225. Juliana, 11. Sei me hwi þu forsakest þi sy & ti selhðe.
1297. R. Glouc. (1724), 411.
| Roberd hym byþoȝte þo, & gan hym vnderstonde, | |
| þat yt was wel gret trauayl, to be kyng of þulke loud … | |
| War þoru he … vorsoc yt al out. |
c. 1375. Lay Folks Mass Bk. (MS. B.), 250.
| Þai offerd gold ensense & myrre, | |
| and þou forsoke none of þirre. |
1395. E. E. Wills (1882), 9. Thomas my sone forseyd, and Iohane his wif haue forsake to be myne executours.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, VI. xviii. The thre knyghtes that fought with syre launcelot at the longe brydge And there they yelded hem vnto syr kay and sir kay forsoke hem and said he foughte neuer with hem.
1593. Greene, News fr. Heaven & Hell, D iij b. This Brick-layer who forsooke to goe into Heauen because his wife was there.
1605. Camden, Rem. (1637), 275. When he had no lust to grow greatly upward in the world, neither would labour for office of authority, and over that, forsooke a right worshipfull roome when it was offered to him.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 334.
| He looks, and languishes, and leaves his Rest; | |
| Forsakes his Food, and pining for the Lass, | |
| Is joyless of the Grove, and spurns the growing Grass.] |
absol. 1382. Wyclif, Prov. i. 24. For I clepede, and ȝee forsoken; I straȝte out myn hond, and ther was not that wolde beholden.
† b. To decline or refuse to bear, encounter, have to do with, undertake; to avoid, shun. Obs.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 182. Nolde me tellen him alre monne dusiȝest, þet forsoke enne buffet, uor one speres wunde.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, XIV. 315.
| Na multitud he forsuk of men, | |
| Quhill he hade ane aganis ten. |
1389. in Eng. Gilds (1870), 54. Qwo-so be chosen in office of aldirman, and he for-sake his offyce, he xal paye, to amendement of ye gylde, iij.s.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVI. lxiii. (Tollem. M.S.). A noþer kynde of magnas, þat forsakeþ yren and dryueþ it awey.
c. 1400. Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 173. If a leche be in straunge cuntre … he schal forsake alle maner of curis þat ben harde to do.
1573. Tusser, Husb. (1580), 81.
| Where hanging on the Crosse, no shame he did forsake, | |
| Till death giuen him by pearcing speare, an ende of life did make. |
1576. A. Fleming, A Panoplie of Epistles, 33. If we followe libertie, and forsake seruitude, what place is there in all the world, not subiect to the regiment and power of this citie?
† c. To refuse respect or obedience to (a command, duty, etc.); to disregard. Also, to neglect (to do something). Obs.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 111. Swa saul þe king dude þe forsech godes heste.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 6523.
| Bot sum of þaim þis fast forsoke, | |
| And þai þis riche manna toke. | |
| Ibid., 28246. | |
| Ic for-soke oft to kyrk at ga, | |
| And letted oþer men þere fra. |
c. 1340. Richard Rolle of Hampole, Prick of Conscience, 4406.
| For al þas men sal bere his merk, | |
| Þat sal forsake to wirk Cristes werk. |
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), VI. 273. Þe kynges knyȝtes resede and forsook Clito his faire byhestes.
3. To give up, renounce, a. To give up, part with, surrender (esp. something dear or valued). Passing into sense 4.
c. 893. K. Ælfred, Oros., I. xii. § 3. He þæt wæs eall forsacende.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 147. Hie … forsoken þe wereld and eorðliche wele.
a. 1240. Ureisun, in Cott. Hom., 195. Vor þine luue ich uorsoc al þet me leof was.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 23044 (Cott.).
| Als þaa þat er his dughti dere, | |
| þat al þis werld welth for-sok. |
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), xix. 88. He hase forsaken wyf and childer and all þe ricches and solacez of þe werld.
1582. Bentley, Mon. Matrones, ii. 12. I rather did forsake my right, than to behold such cruelnesse.
1585. T. Washington, trans. Nicholay’s Voy. Turkie, I. ix. 12 b. Forsaking the name of a Captayne any longer, caused himselfe to be called king and coyned money vnder his name, and so wel guided his affayres that in short time after he brought all his neighbours about him to become contributory vnto him.
1593. Shaks., Lucr., 155.
| Such hazard now must doting Tarquin make, | |
| Pawning his honor to obtaine his lust, | |
| And for himselfe, himselfe he must forsake. | |
| Then where is truth if there be no selfe-trust? |
1781. Cowper, Hope, 584.
| Like him, cross’d cheerfully tempestuous seas, | |
| Forsaking country, kindred, friends, and ease. |
b. To break off from, renounce (an employment, design, esp. an evil practice or sin; also, a belief, doctrine). † Till 17th c. occas. with inf. as object.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 81. He scal his sunne uor-saken.
c. 1200. Vices & Virtues (1888), 23. Nu ðurh godes grace þu hes hafst forsaken.
c. 1305. St. Andrew, 6, in E. E. P. (1862), 98.
| Come, he seide, after me and ic sole ȝou make | |
| Manfischers, and þis oþere here nettes gonne forsake. |
1382. Wyclif, Heb. x. 25. Not forsakynge oure gederinge to gidere, as it is of custom to sum men.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), xi. 42. Þe emperour Iulyan Apostata, whilk renayd and forsuke Cristen fayth.
1401. Political Poems (Rolls), II. 49.
| Who wil allege the temple | |
| for glorie of our chirche, | |
| fforsake he to be cristen, Jak, | |
| and be he newe a Jewe. |
c. 1460. Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (1866), 236. Vertu, godede, & almisdede, am al for-sake.
1548–9. (Mar.) Bk. Com. Prayer (Baptism). Doest thou forsake the deuill and all his workes?
1558. Bp. Watson, Sev. Sacrum., xxix. 186. He must forsake to dwel with hys father and mother.
1601. Chester, Love’s Mart., Dialogue ccxvii.
| Haue I come hither drooping through the woods, | |
| And left the springing groues to seeke for thee? | |
| Haue I forsooke to bathe me in the flouds, | |
| And pin’d away in carefull misery? |
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 218.
| But straiten’d by my Space, I must forsake | |
| This Task; for others afterwards to take. |
1703. Maundrell, Journ. Jerus. (1732), 140. After he had led us about for several hours in intricate and untrodden Mazes amongst the Mountains, finding him perfectly at a loss, we were forc’d to forsake our intended visit for the present.
1844. Stanley, Arnold (1858), II. viii. 14–5. Nor that the doctrine of Christ crucified and Christ risen, has been so forsaken, as that the very standard of Christianity should need to be planted afresh.
1894. J. T. Fowler, Adamnan, Introduction, p. lvi. The southern Picts, as Bede tells us (E. H. iii. 4), had, long before the coming of Columba to Iona, forsaken idolatry, and embraced the truth through the preaching of St. Ninian.
4. To abandon, leave entirely, withdraw from; esp. to withdraw one’s presence and help or companionship from; to desert. † To forsake patch: ? to quit the spot.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 1228 (Cott.). He þam for-soke in al þer nedis.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter, vi. 7. Til whaim now he spekis, forsakand þaire felaghschip.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Friars T., 223.
| For I wol holde company with the, | |
| Til it be so that thou forsake me. |
c. 1422. Hoccleve, Learn to Die, 506. Forsake y am, frendshipe y can noon fynde.
c. 1489. Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, xxi. 461. Whan mawgys sawe that they forsoke the place, he followed theym not.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Huon, cxxxviii. 516. They came to the place where as the galey was and enteryd in to it in great haste for sauegarde of theyr lyues, & forsoke theyr horses on the see syde.
1548–9. (Mar.) Bk. Com. Prayer, Matrimony. And forsaking all other kepe thee only to her.
1602. Carew, Cornwall, 135 a. The Foy men gaue them so rough entertaynment at their welcome, that they were glad to forsake patch, without bidding farewell.
1674. Martinière, trans. Voy. N. Countries, 64. We had not Sailed three times four and twenty hours, before the night forsook us quite, the Sun continuing always in our sight either behind, before, or on one side of us.
1713. Addison, Cato, II. vi.
| Syphax, I now may hope thou hast forsook | |
| Thy Juba’s cause, and wishest Marcia mine. |
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1770), V. 318. Larks, that remain with us the year throughout, are birds of passage in Sweden; and forsake that climate in winter, to return again with the returning spring.
1816. J. Wilson, City of Plague, II. iv.
| She only smil’d | |
| When I implor’d her to forsake the city. |
1833. L. Ritchie, Wand. by Loire, 115. At Daguénière, the road forsakes the river.
1841–4. Emerson, Ess., Love, Wks. (Bohn), I. 71. This passion of which we speak, though it begin with the young, yet forsakes not the old, or rather suffers no one who is its servant to grow old, but makes the aged participators of it not less than the tender maiden, though in a different and nobler sort.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. i. xxvii. 197. It [a hut] was forsaken, and half buried in the snow.
1881. Jowett, Thucyd., I. 45. For the true breakers of treaties are not those who, when forsaken, turn to others, but those who forsake allies whom they have sworn to defend.
absol. a. 1839. Praed, Poems (1864), I. 363.
| ‘He’ll learn to flatter and forsake, | |
| To feign and to forget’:— | |
| O whisper—or my heart will break— | |
| You won’t believe them yet! |
1841. Lane, Arab. Nts., I. 100. If thou return, we return; and if thou come, we come; and if thou forsake, we verily do the same.
† b. Of things: To fail, disappoint the hopes of. Obs.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 6. The corruptyble rychesse of this worlde … forsaketh and deceyueth him whan he weneth best.
1610. Bp. Carleton, Jurisd., v. 73. It is not to be maruelled, if the truth of Religion afterward for saked them.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1776), V. 361. These birds, on the continent of America, continue to flutter the year round; as their food, which is the honey of flowers, never forsakes them in those warm latitudes where they are found.
