For"ward (?), n. [OE., fr. AS.
foreweard; fore before + weard a ward. See
Ward, n.] An agreement; a covenant; a
promise. [Obs.]
Tell us a tale anon, as forward
is.
Chaucer.
{ For"ward (?), For"wards (?) },
adv. [AS. forweard, foreweard;
for, fore + -weardes; akin to G.
vorwärts. The s is properly a genitive ending. See
For, Fore, and -ward, -wards.]
Toward a part or place before or in front; onward; in advance;
progressively; -- opposed to backward.
For"ward, a. 1.
Near, or at the fore part; in advance of something else; as, the
forward gun in a ship, or the forward ship in a
fleet.
2. Ready; prompt; strongly inclined; in an
ill sense, overready; too hasty.
Only they would that we should remember the poor; the
same which I also was forward to do.
Gal. ii.
10.
Nor do we find him forward to be
sounded.
Shak.
3. Ardent; eager; earnest; in an ill sense,
less reserved or modest than is proper; bold; confident; as, the boy
is too forward for his years.
I have known men disagreeably forward from
their shyness.
T. Arnold.
4. Advanced beyond the usual degree; advanced
for the season; as, the grass is forward, or forward
for the season; we have a forward spring.
The most forward bud
Is eaten by the canker ere it blow.
Shak.
For"ward (?), v. t. [imp. & p.
p. Forwarded; p. pr. & vb. n.
Forwarding.] 1. To help onward; to
advance; to promote; to accelerate; to quicken; to hasten; as, to
forward the growth of a plant; to forward one in
improvement.
2. To send forward; to send toward the place
of destination; to transmit; as, to forward a
letter.
