v. Obs. [OE. forwiernan, f. FOR- pref.1 + wiernan to forbid: see WARN v.2] trans. To prohibit, forbid. With double obj., or obj. of the person and to with inf. or from.
Beowulf (Gr.), 429.
| Þæt þu me ne forwyrne … | |
| þæt ic mote [etc.]. |
c. 893. K. Ælfred, Oros., II. iv. (Sweet), 76. Him þæt se ȝionga cyning þæs oferfæreldes forwiernan mehte.
c. 1175. Cott. Hom., 221. Hwi wolde god swa litles þinges him forwerne.
c. 1205. Lay., 3496.
| Nule heo me do na wurse | |
| þanne hire lond forwurnen. |
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 2809. Þus damesels for-werneþ al, þat me greueþ werst.
1583. Golding, Calvin on Deut. xxvii. 163. He forewarneth vs here to make any vndergods or meane gods.
1606. Holland, Sueton., 67. He prohibited and forewarned them the companie of strangers.
1690. Shadwell, Am. Bigot, III. This wicked Duoena, this Grycia suspects the good Woman who brought the Letter, and has forwarn’d her the house.
1708. S. Sewall, Diary, 8 Sept. (1879), II. 236. I meet the Workman by Mr. Pemberton’s Gate, and forewarn him from making of it.
1820. Lamb, Elia, Ser. I. Christ’s Hosp. 35 years ago. Once, and but once, the uplifted rod was known to fall ineffectual from his hand—when droll squinting W— having been caught putting the inside of the master’s desk to a use for which the architect had clearly not designed it, to justify himself, with great simplicity averred, that he did not know that the thing had been forewarned.
