Forfend, forefend

v. [f. FOR- pref.¹ (see sense 2) + FEND v.]

  † 1.  trans. To forbid, prohibit. With the thing forbidden as object, or with personal object and an infinitive with to as second object. Obs.

1382.  Wyclif, 2 Kings xii. 8. And the prestis ben forfendid to eny more takyn monee of the puple.

c. 1400.  An Apology for Lollard Doctrines, 70–1. Þe wedding of prestis, or of cosynis in þe brid or ferd degre, is not forfendid bi þe autorite of þe oolde lawe, for bi þe autorite of þe gospel, nor of þe epistil, but it only defended bi law of þe kirk.

1493.  Dives & Paup. (Pynson), I. i. Bj b. Gregory whiche blamyd him gretely for that he had so distroyed the ymages, but vtterly he prised him for he forfendyd them to worshyp ymages.

1530.  Palsgr., 555/2. Naye, I forfende that, for that is no playe.

1548.  Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Mark i. 10. That law forfended to were any clothing of linsaye wolsaye.

1635.  Pagitt, Christianogr., Relig. Britans, 29. Anselme saith he, held a Synod at London, in which hee forefended Priests to have Wives, which they were not before inhibited to have.

1660.  Stillingfl., Iren., II. viii. (1662), 390. Whether it be forefended by Goddes Law.

1823.  J. Badcock, Dom. Amusem., 86. This ingenious veterinarian forefends the practice of mixing clay in the stuffing.

  2.  To avert, keep away or off, prevent; esp. in deprecatory phr. God (etc.) forfend; often with sentence as object; also absol. as an exclamation. arch.

1382.  Wyclif, 2 Sam. xxiv. 25. The veniaunce is forfendyd fro Yrael.

1530.  Sir T. More, Ordin., in Ann. Barber-Surgeons Lond. (1890), 583. As God forfende.

1582.  N. Lichefield, trans. Castanheda’s Conq. E. Ind., lvii. 120. There stood in the water, yea, euen vp to their girdles a great number, alwaies forfending our landing.

1591.  Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., V. iv. 65. Yor. Now heauen forfend, the holy Maid with child?

1639.  Horn & Rob., Gate Lang. Unl., xcix. § 984. At Gods bidding, they joine themselves in company with the godly, even from their birth, as guardians to forefend [drive off, chase away] mischiefes, and to shield them from the assaults of Satan.

1732.  Fielding, Covent Gard., I. iii. Behold thee carted—oh! forefend the sight.

1848.  Lytton, Harold, II. iii. ‘The fiend forfend,’ said the grim earl, ‘that a foreign prince should sway England’s king.’

1859.  I. Taylor, Logic in Theol., 226. May we not forfend the successes of our rivals by adopting their principles and using their means of influence.

1887.  Bowen, Virg. Æneid, III. 265.

  † b.  To check, refrain, withhold. Obs.

1382.  Wyclif, Gen. viii. 2. And the watris ben lessid, and the wellys of the see and the goterys of heuene ben closid, and reynes fro heuene ben forfendid. Ibid., Prov. i. 15. Forfende thi foot fro the sties of hem.

  3.  To secure or protect by precautionary measures. Now chiefly U.S.

1592.  R. Wilmot, Tancred & Gismunda, Pref. iii.

1875.  Holyoake, Co-op. Eng., I. 250. Some men by opportunity, energy, and enterprise are able to forfend themselves against suffering.

1887.  in Amer. Missionary, Oct., 283. This is forefended by the fact that [etc.].

1892.  The Nation (N.Y.), 28 April, LIII. 327/2. ‘The sacrifice of the Mississippi,’ which in all probability would have been inevitable under the weakness of the Confederacy, but was forefended against even the treason of Wilkinson and Burr by the strength of the Union under the Constitution.

  Hence Forfended ppl. a.; Forefending vbl. sb.

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Serm., Sel. Wks. II. 223. Adam and Eve synneden, and not in þe first tyme, in etyng of þe forfendid appul.

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 170/1. Forbedynge … or forefendynge … prohibicio.

1605.  Shaks., Lear, V. i. 11.