[f. FORE- pref. + ROOM.]

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  † 1.  ? The forecastle of a ship. Obs.

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c. 1565.  Lindsay of Pitscottie, Chron. Scot. (1728), 101. With … two-handed Swords in your Fore-Rooms.

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1589.  Greene, Sp. Masquerade, Wks. (Grosart), V. 272. That woorthy Gentleman … Sir Francis Drake … valiantly standing in the fore roome deliuered with Cannon his Ambassage to the Enemie.

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  2.  The front room or parlor. Now only U.S.

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1728.  Vanbr. & Cib., Prov. Husb., I. i. 32. She has a Couple of clever Girls there a stitching i’th’ Fore-Room.

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1774.  Foote, Cozeners, II. Wks. 1799, II. 174. Betsy. Where am I? Toby. In the fore-room, up one pair of stairs.

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1883.  Mrs. Rollins, New Eng. Bygones, 71. This was the ‘best-room,’ or, as my grandfather called it, the ‘fore’ room.

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1893.  Boston (Mass.) Youth’s Comp., 16 March, 140/4. So we went into the fore-room.

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