Library / English Dictionary

FORETELL

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

Irregular inflected form: foretold   

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Indicate, as with a sign or an omen

Example:

These signs bode bad news

Synonyms:

augur; auspicate; betoken; bode; forecast; foreshadow; foretell; omen; portend; predict; prefigure; presage; prognosticate

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "foretell" is one way to...):

bespeak; betoken; indicate; point; signal (be a signal for or a symptom of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "foretell"):

threaten (to be a menacing indication of something)

foreshow (foretell by divine inspiration)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Make a prediction about; tell in advance

Example:

Call the outcome of an election

Synonyms:

anticipate; call; forebode; foretell; predict; prognosticate; promise

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "foretell" is one way to...):

guess; hazard; pretend; venture (put forward, of a guess, in spite of possible refutation)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "foretell"):

read (interpret the significance of, as of palms, tea leaves, intestines, the sky; also of human behavior)

outguess; second-guess (attempt to anticipate or predict)

augur (predict from an omen)

bet; wager (maintain with or as if with a bet)

calculate; forecast (predict in advance)

prophesy; vaticinate (predict or reveal through, or as if through, divine inspiration)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Derivation:

foretelling (a statement made about the future)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Foreshadow or presage

Synonyms:

announce; annunciate; foretell; harbinger; herald

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "foretell" is one way to...):

tell (let something be known)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Credits

 Context examples: 

There was no rain, as Holmes had foretold, and the morning broke bright and cloudless.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

By the report which he hastened over to Kellynch to make, Admiral Croft was a native of Somersetshire, who having acquired a very handsome fortune, was wishing to settle in his own country, and had come down to Taunton in order to look at some advertised places in that immediate neighbourhood, which, however, had not suited him; that accidentally hearing—(it was just as he had foretold, Mr Shepherd observed, Sir Walter's concerns could not be kept a secret,)—accidentally hearing of the possibility of Kellynch Hall being to let, and understanding his (Mr Shepherd's) connection with the owner, he had introduced himself to him in order to make particular inquiries, and had, in the course of a pretty long conference, expressed as strong an inclination for the place as a man who knew it only by description could feel; and given Mr Shepherd, in his explicit account of himself, every proof of his being a most responsible, eligible tenant.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

The dinner was exceedingly handsome, and there were all the servants and all the articles of plate which Mr. Collins had promised; and, as he had likewise foretold, he took his seat at the bottom of the table, by her ladyship's desire, and looked as if he felt that life could furnish nothing greater.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

The poem, which can be dated as far back as 961, foretells the end of Iceland’s pagan gods and the coming of a new, singular god: in other words, the conversion of Iceland to Christianity, which was formalised around the turn of the eleventh century.

(Volcanic eruption influenced Iceland’s conversion to Christianity, University of Cambridge)

The coastguard on duty at once made report, and one old fisherman, who for more than half a century has kept watch on weather signs from the East Cliff, foretold in an emphatic manner the coming of a sudden storm.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

“Can he foretell anything to me?” said the miller.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

I do not pretend to Emma's genius for foretelling and guessing.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

But, then, a voice within me averred that I could do it and foretold that I should do it.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

The cold insolence of Mrs. Ferrars's general behaviour to her sister, seemed, to her, to foretell such difficulties and distresses to Elinor, as her own wounded heart taught her to think of with horror; and urged by a strong impulse of affectionate sensibility, she moved after a moment, to her sister's chair, and putting one arm round her neck, and one cheek close to hers, said in a low, but eager, voice, Dear, dear Elinor, don't mind them.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

He told her of horses which he had bought for a trifle and sold for incredible sums; of racing matches, in which his judgment had infallibly foretold the winner; of shooting parties, in which he had killed more birds (though without having one good shot) than all his companions together; and described to her some famous day's sport, with the fox-hounds, in which his foresight and skill in directing the dogs had repaired the mistakes of the most experienced huntsman, and in which the boldness of his riding, though it had never endangered his own life for a moment, had been constantly leading others into difficulties, which he calmly concluded had broken the necks of many.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)