Chiefly Naut. [f. FORE- pref. + REACH v.]

1

  1.  intr. To shoot ahead. Also, to fore-reach on, upon (see quot. 1644).

2

1644.  Manwayring, Sea-mans Dict., 42. When two ships saile together, or after one another, she which sailes best (that is fastest) doth Fore-reach upon the other.

3

1748.  Anson’s Voy., II. iv. 163. We found that we had both weathered and fore-reached upon her considerably, and were then near enough to discover that she was only a Merchantman, without so much as a single tire of guns.

4

1800.  C. Sturt, in Naval Chron., IV. 394. Observed Mr. Weld’s cutter fore-reached, but I gained to windward.

5

1834.  M. Scott, Cruise Midge (1859), 252. She was going faster through the water, and had forereached on us so far as to be well before our beam by this time.

6

1841.  R. H. Dana, Seaman’s Man., 106. Fore-reach. To shoot ahead, especially when going in stays.

7

  2.  trans. To reach beyond, gain ground upon, pass. Also fig. To get the better of.

8

1803.  Naval Chron. (1810), XXIII. 398. To endeavour to forereach her, round the mizen-head, to obtain the entrance of Bantry Bay.

9

1845.  Napier, Conq. Scinde, II. ii. 253. The General, coming back by a different route, had fore-reached them in such a scheme if it was entertained.

10

1870.  Daily News, 12 May. At 8.30 the Sappho was rapidly forereaching her opponent.

11

  3.  trans. To seize beforehand, anticipate. rare.

12

1874.  Whittier, My Triumph, xvii.

        Parcel and part of all,
I keep the festival,
Fore-reach the good to be,
And share the victory.

13

  Hence Fore-reaching ppl. a., pushing, eager.

14

1864.  Skeat, trans. Uhland’s Poems, 102.

        Then every hand and every spirit works
Fore-reaching, active, for the general weal.

15