Foresaw: meaning, definitions and examples

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foresaw

 

[fɔːrˈsɔː ]

Definition

Context #1 | Verb

future prediction

Foresaw is the past tense of foresee, meaning to anticipate or predict a future event. It implies an understanding or expectation of an outcome based on previous knowledge or intuition.

Synonyms

anticipated, envisioned, foretold, predicted.

Examples of usage

  • She foresaw the consequences of her decisions.
  • He foresaw a decline in the economy due to market trends.
  • They foresaw potential challenges in the project.
  • The scientist foresaw advancements in technology.

Interesting Facts

Etymology

  • The word comes from Old English 'forsēon,' meaning 'to see beforehand.'
  • Its roots can be traced back to Germanic languages, where similar words also indicate awareness of future events.

Literature

  • In many stories, characters who foresaw future events were often leaders or heroes with great wisdom.
  • Shakespeare used the concept of foresight in plays like 'Macbeth,' where witches predict the fate of characters.

Science

  • The ability to foresee can be linked to advanced predictive modeling used in fields like meteorology and economics.
  • Researchers study cognitive biases that affect how well people can predict future events.

Psychology

  • Humans tend to rely on past experiences to foresee what might happen next, a process known as anticipatory thinking.
  • Foresight can be influenced by emotions; for instance, fear of failure might lead someone to underestimate positive outcomes.

Pop Culture

  • Movies often feature characters with foresight, like 'Minority Report,' which explores pre-crime prediction.
  • Many superhero stories involve characters with the ability to foresee dangers, emphasizing the struggle of knowledge versus action.

Translations

Translations of the word "foresaw" in other languages:

🇵🇹 previu

🇮🇳 पूर्वानुमान किया

🇩🇪 voraussehen

🇮🇩 melihat ke depan

🇺🇦 передбачав

🇵🇱 przewidział

🇯🇵 予見した

🇫🇷 prévu

🇪🇸 previó

🇹🇷 öngördü

🇰🇷 예상했다

🇸🇦 توقع

🇨🇿 předpověděl

🇸🇰 predpovedal

🇨🇳 预见

🇸🇮 predvidel

🇮🇸 spáði

🇰🇿 болжап

🇬🇪 წინასწარმეტყველა

🇦🇿 görmək

🇲🇽 previó

Word Frequency Rank

With rank #16,162, this word belongs to specialized vocabulary. While not common in everyday speech, it enriches your ability to express complex ideas.