Foreshadow: meaning, definitions and examples

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foreshadow

[ ˈfɔːrˌʃædoʊ ]

^{Context #1}

literature

To show or indicate beforehand; prefigure: The author's use of dark imagery foreshadowed the tragic ending of the novel.

Synonyms

foretell, portend, predict

Examples of usage

The storm clouds foreshadowed the approaching bad weather.
The mysterious stranger in the opening scene foreshadowed the main character's destiny.

^{Context #2}

movie

A warning or indication of a future event: The ominous music in the background served as a foreshadow of the villain's appearance.

Synonyms

hint, omen, sign

Examples of usage

The character's flashback scenes acted as a foreshadow of his traumatic past.
The subtle hints dropped by the detective were a clever foreshadow of the plot twist.

Translations

Translations of the word "foreshadow" in other languages:

🇵🇹 pressagiar

🇮🇳 पूर्वाभास देना

🇩🇪 vorhersagen

🇮🇩 meramalkan

🇺🇦 передбачати

🇵🇱 przepowiadać

🇯🇵 予兆する (よちょうする)

🇫🇷 présager

🇪🇸 presagiar

🇹🇷 önceden haber vermek

🇰🇷 예고하다

🇸🇦 يتنبأ

🇨🇿 předpovídat

🇸🇰 predpovedať

🇨🇳 预示 (yùshì)

🇸🇮 napovedovati

🇮🇸 fyrirboða

🇰🇿 болжап айту

🇬🇪 წინასწარმეტყველება

🇦🇿 öncədən xəbər vermək

🇲🇽 presagiar

Word origin

The word 'foreshadow' originated from the combination of 'fore-' and 'shadow' in the early 19th century. It was first used in the context of literature to describe the technique of hinting at future events or outcomes. The concept of foreshadowing has since become a popular literary device used to create suspense and anticipation in storytelling.