v. Obs. Forms: 4 forkutte, pa. pple. 4–5 forkute, -kytte: see CUT v. [f. FOR- pref.1 + CUT v.] trans. To cut into, cut in pieces; to injure by cutting.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Manciple’s T., 236.
| Right as a swerd for-kutteth and for-kerueth | |
| An Arm atwo, my deere sone, right so | |
| A tonge kutteth freendshipe al atwo. |
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), VIII. 153. Þe burgeys sone þat he had i-slawe forkutte his wombe wiþ a knyf. Ibid. (1398), Barth. De P. R. (1495), XVII. xcii. 660. Letuse … heelyth synewes that are forkytte.
1440. J. Shirley, Dethe K. James (1818), 19. And gretely the Kyng strogild with hem, for to have berevyd thame thare knyvys; by the which labur his handis wer all forkute.
