Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Deliberation, consideration, or planning for the future; foresight.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A thinking beforehand; previous consideration; premeditation.
  • noun Provident care; prudence.
  • noun Synonyms Foresight, precaution, forecast.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A thinking or planning beforehand; prescience; premeditation; forecast; provident care.
  • adjective Thought of, or planned, beforehand; aforethought; prepense; hence, deliberate.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Thinking beforehand or in advance, planning; prior or previous consideration; premeditation.
  • noun Anticipation.
  • noun Provident care; prudence.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun planning or plotting in advance of acting
  • noun judiciousness in avoiding harm or danger

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English forethouht, forethoght, from Old English *foreþōht (“forethought”), equivalent to fore- +‎ thought. Compare also forethink.

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Examples

  • For neither in this chapter nor anywhere in Christ's teaching is there one word against what we call forethought, and they who would find in the words of Jesus any encouragement to thriftlessness are but misrepresenting Him and deceiving themselves.

    The Teaching of Jesus George Jackson 1904

  • What makes me object to it is the lack of long-term forethought about what the chemicals being pumped into our bodies could be doing besides helping us lose weight.

    Stuff.co.nz - Stuff 2010

  • And beautifully agreeing with the forethought is the fact that when the Tribes had their lots assigned them in Palestine, the city of Jerusalem fell in the portion of

    The Lost Ten Tribes, and 1882 Joseph Wild

  • Thus prudent forethought, which is one of the first conditions of a successful life, may easily degenerate into that most miserable state of mind in which men are perpetually anticipating and dwelling upon the uncertain dangers and evils of an uncertain future.

    The Map of Life Conduct and Character William Edward Hartpole Lecky 1870

  • The latter possesses, although he frequently abuses it, the faculty of self-control and forethought, which is entirely wanting in the former.

    System der volkswirthschaft. English Wilhelm Roscher 1855

  • Those that have sought to divide the Nation know exactly what they do ... and their reasons are legion, and the forethought is the exact same that Epimetheus had.

    The Jacksonian Party 2009

  • Those that have sought to divide the Nation know exactly what they do ... and their reasons are legion, and the forethought is the exact same that Epimetheus had.

    The Jacksonian Party A Jacksonian 2009

  • Of course, all this requires forethought, which isn't always easy or possible.

    Adobe Blogs 2008

  • Sen. McCain showed poor judgment and forethought, which is disturbing given that he says this area is his strong suit.

    The Berkeley Daily Planet, The East Bay's Independent Newspaper 2008

  • Putting prices on things would be tantamount to efficient behavior and thoughtful consideration of the client or customer, and that kind of forethought and pro-active behavior is simply not valued here, barely known or recognized.

    Prices almost never listed 2009

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