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Foreboded: meaning, definitions and examples

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foreboded

 

[ fɔːrˈboʊd ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

sense of prediction

Forebode is a verb that means to indicate or warn of a future event or occurrence, typically something negative or ominous. It often implies a sense of forewarning or concern about what is to come. When someone forebodes, they may feel a deep-seated intuition or fear about an impending situation. Such feelings can stem from personal experiences or cultural beliefs regarding omens and signs. The term is commonly used in literature and storytelling to create an atmosphere of dread or anticipation.

Synonyms

foreshadow, omen, portend, predict, signal.

Examples of usage

  • The dark clouds seemed to forebode a storm.
  • His expression foreboded trouble ahead.
  • The signs foreboded disaster if they did not prepare.
  • The eerie silence foreboded something sinister.

Translations

Translations of the word "foreboded" in other languages:

🇵🇹 pressentido

🇮🇳 पूर्वसूचित

🇩🇪 vorhergesehen

🇮🇩 diramalkan

🇺🇦 прогнозований

🇵🇱 przewidziany

🇯🇵 予知された

🇫🇷 prédisé

🇪🇸 presagiado

🇹🇷 öngörülen

🇰🇷 예고된

🇸🇦 مُتَوَقَّع

🇨🇿 předpovězený

🇸🇰 predpovedaný

🇨🇳 预示的

🇸🇮 napovedan

🇮🇸 fyrirboðið

🇰🇿 алдын ала болжанған

🇬🇪 წინასწარ ნათქვამი

🇦🇿 proqnozlaşdırılmış

🇲🇽 presagiado

Etymology

The word 'forebode' originates from the Old English term 'forbodan', meaning 'to command or prohibit'. The 'fore-' prefix means 'before' or 'in advance', while 'bode' comes from a Germanic root meaning 'to announce' or 'to declare'. The term evolved over centuries, retaining its ominous connotation. It came to embody the idea of warning or predicting what is to come, especially in an unfavorable or troubling manner. By the time it entered Middle English, it had developed the modern sense of indicating something horrifying or foretelling doom. Its literary use can often be found in works that aim to evoke feelings of apprehension, suggesting that the future may hold unfavorable events based on present indicators.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #37,656, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.