forge

See also: forgé

English

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Old French forge, early Old French faverge, from Latin fabrica (“workshop”), from faber (“workman in hard materials, smith”) (genitive fabri). Cognate with Franco-Provençal favèrge.

Noun

forge (plural forges)

  1. Furnace or hearth where metals are heated prior to hammering them into shape.
  2. Workshop in which metals are shaped by heating and hammering them.
  3. The act of beating or working iron or steel.
    • Francis Bacon
      In the greater bodies the forge was easy.
Translations

Etymology 2

From Anglo-Norman forger, from Old French forgier, from Latin fabrico (“to frame, construct, build”).

Verb

forge (third-person singular simple present forges, present participle forging, simple past and past participle forged)

  1. (metallurgy) To shape a metal by heating and hammering.
    • William Shakespeare (c.1564–1616)
      Mars's armor forged for proof eterne
    • 1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter II, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], OCLC 752825175, page 071:
      Orion hit a rabbit once; but though sore wounded it got to the bury, and, struggling in, the arrow caught the side of the hole and was drawn out. […]. Ikey the blacksmith had forged us a spearhead after a sketch from a picture of a Greek warrior; and a rake-handle served as a shaft.
  2. To form or create with concerted effort.
    The politician's recent actions are an effort to forge a relationship with undecided voters.
    • John Locke (1632-1705)
      Those names that the schools forged, and put into the mouth of scholars, could never get admittance into common use.
    • Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892)
      […] do forge a life-long trouble for ourselves.
  3. To create a forgery of; to make a counterfeit item of; to copy or imitate unlawfully.
    He had to forge his ex-wife's signature.  The jury learned the documents had been forged.
  4. To make falsely; to produce, as that which is untrue or not genuine; to fabricate.
Derived terms
Translations

Etymology 3

Make way, move ahead, most likely an alteration of force, but perhaps from forge (n.), via notion of steady hammering at something. Originally nautical, in referrence to vessels.

Verb

forge (third-person singular simple present forges, present participle forging, simple past and past participle forged)

  1. (often as forge ahead) To move forward heavily and slowly (originally as a ship); to advance gradually but steadily; to proceed towards a goal in the face of resistance or difficulty.
    The party of explorers forged through the thick underbrush.
    We decided to forge ahead with our plans even though our biggest underwriter backed out.
    • De Quincey
      And off she [a ship] forged without a shock.
  2. (sometimes as forge ahead) To advance, move or act with an abrupt increase in speed or energy.
    With seconds left in the race, the runner forged into first place.
Translations

See also

Anagrams

French

Etymology

From Old French forge, from earlier faverge, inherited from Latin fābrica. Doublet of fabrique, which was borrowed.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /fɔʁʒ/
  • Audio(file)
  • Audio (Paris)(file)

Noun

forge f (plural forges)

  1. forge (workshop)
  2. forge (furnace)

Descendants

Verb

forge

  1. first-person singular present indicative of forger
  2. third-person singular present indicative of forger
  3. first-person singular present subjunctive of forger
  4. first-person singular present subjunctive of forger
  5. second-person singular imperative of forger

Further reading

Old French

Etymology

From older faverge, from Latin fābrica.

Noun

forge f (oblique plural forges, nominative singular forge, nominative plural forges)

  1. forge (workshop)

Descendants

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