Obs. Also 4 forestayne, 5 forstanyg (? read forstavyng), 5 forestaven. [f. FORE- pref. + ME. stam, staven, OE. stæfn prow (see STEM).]
1. The prow of a ship.
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 742. Ffrekes one þe forestayne, fakene þeire coblez.
c. 1470. Henry the Minstrel, Wallace, IX. 55. Frekis in forstame [v.r. foirstam, forstarne], rewllit weill thar ger.
c. 1475. Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 804. Hec prora, a forstanyg.
c. 1475[?]. Sqr. lowe Degre, 821, in Ritson, Met. Rom., III. 179.
| With galyes good upon the haven, | |
| With eighty ores at the fore staven. |
1513. Douglas, Æneis, V. iii. 78. Fra thair foirstammys the buller brayis and raris.
2. Sc. The front, forehead.
1790. Shirrefs, Poems, Gloss., 15. Forestum [sic], the forehead.
a. 1809. in J. Skinner’s Misc. Poet., 132.
| His enemy in afore him cam, | |
| Ere ever he him saw; | |
| Raught him a rap on the forestam, | |
| But had na time to draw | |
| Another sae. |
