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forlorn

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forlorn

 

  4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Forlese  \For*lese"\,  v.  t.  [p.  p.  {Forlore},  {Forlorn}.]  [OE. 
  forlesen.  See  {Forlorn}.] 
  To  lose  utterly.  [Obs.]  --haucer. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Forlorn  \For*lorn"\,  a.  [OE.,  p.  p.  of  forlesen  to  lose  utterly, 
  AS  forle['o]san  (p.  p.  forloren);  pref.  for-  +  le['o]san  (in 
  comp.)  to  lose;  cf  D.  verliezen  to  lose,  G.  verlieren  Sw 
  f["o]rlora,  Dan.  forloren,  Goth.  fraliusan  to  lose.  See 
  {For-},  and  {Lorn},  a.,  {Lose},  v.  t.] 
  1.  Deserted;  abandoned;  lost. 
 
  Of  fortune  and  of  hope  at  once  forlorn.  --Spenser. 
 
  Some  say  that  ravens  foster  forlorn  children. 
  --Shak. 
 
  2.  Destitute;  helpless;  in  pitiful  plight;  wretched; 
  miserable;  almost  hopeless;  desperate. 
 
  For  here  forlorn  and  lost  I  tread.  --Goldsmith. 
 
  The  condition  of  the  besieged  in  the  mean  time  was 
  forlorn  in  the  extreme.  --Prescott. 
 
  She  cherished  the  forlorn  hope  that  he  was  still 
  living.  --Thomson. 
 
  {A  forlorn  hope}  [D.  verloren  hoop,  prop.,  a  lost  band  or 
  troop;  verloren  p.  p.  of  verliezen  to  lose  +  hoop  band; 
  akin  to  E.  heap.  See  {For-},  and  {Heap}.]  (Mil.),  a  body 
  of  men  (called  in  F.  enfants  perdus,  in  G.  verlornen 
  posten)  selected,  usually  from  volunteers,  to  attempt  a 
  breach,  scale  the  wall  of  a  fortress,  or  perform  other 
  extraordinarily  perilous  service;  also  a  desperate  case 
  or  enterprise. 
 
  Syn:  Destitute,  lost;  abandoned;  forsaken;  solitary; 
  helpless;  friendless;  hopeless;  abject;  wretched; 
  miserable;  pitiable. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Forlorn  \For*lorn"\,  n. 
  1.  A  lost,  forsaken,  or  solitary  person. 
 
  Forced  to  live  in  Scotland  a  forlorn.  --Shak. 
 
  2.  A  forlorn  hope;  a  vanguard.  [Obs.] 
 
  Our  forlorn  of  horse  marched  within  a  mile  of  the 
  enemy.  --Oliver 
  Cromvell. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  forlorn 
  adj  1:  pitiable  in  circumstances  especially  through  abandonment; 
  "desolate  and  despairing";  "left  forlorn"  [syn:  {desolate}, 
  {godforsaken},  {lorn}] 
  2:  marked  by  or  showing  hopelessness;  "the  last  forlorn 
  attempt";  "a  forlorn  cause"




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