Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To cause to regret or repent; vex; reflexively, to regret; repent.
  • To regret: with object noun or clause.
  • To repent.

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

  • transitive verb obsolete To repent; to regret; to be sorry for; to cause regret.

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

  • verb transitive, obsolete, impersonal To cause distress or regret to; cause to regret or repent; to vex.
  • verb reflexive, obsolete To regret; repent.
  • verb transitive, obsolete To regret.
  • verb intransitive, obsolete To repent, be sorry for.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English forthinken, forthynken ("to displease, cause to regret"), corresponding to for- (“mis-”) +‎ think (“to seem, appear”), from Old English þyncan ("to seem, appear"); see methinks. Cognate with Middle High German verdunken ("to displease"), Icelandic forþykkja ("to displease"). Compare also Old English forþencan ("to mistrust, despise, despair"), Dutch verdenken ("to suspect"), German verdenken ("to blame").

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Examples

Comments

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  • "Sir, said he, I am of the realm of Logris, and my name is Ector de Maris, and brother unto my lord, Sir Launcelot. In the name of God, said the king, me forthinketh of what I have said, for your brother is here within."

    - Thomas Malory, 'The Holy Grail'.

    September 14, 2009