Forlorn

Forlorn
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. [1913 Webster]

Of fortune and of hope at once forlorn. --Spenser. [1913 Webster]

Some say that ravens foster forlorn children. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

2. Destitute; helpless; in pitiful plight; wretched; miserable; almost hopeless; desperate. [1913 Webster]

For here forlorn and lost I tread. --Goldsmith. [1913 Webster]

The condition of the besieged in the mean time was forlorn in the extreme. --Prescott. [1913 Webster]

She cherished the forlorn hope that he was still living. --Thomson. [1913 Webster]

{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. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Forlorn — For*lorn , n. 1. A lost, forsaken, or solitary person. [1913 Webster] Forced to live in Scotland a forlorn. Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. A forlorn hope; a vanguard. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] Our forlorn of horse marched within a mile of the enemy. Oliver… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • forlorn — (adj.) mid 12c., forloren disgraced, depraved, pp. of obsolete forlesan be deprived of, lose, abandon, from O.E. forleosan to lose, abandon, let go; destroy, ruin, from FOR (Cf. for ) completely + leosan to lose (see LOSE (Cf. lose)). In the… …   Etymology dictionary

  • forlorn — ► ADJECTIVE 1) pitifully sad and lonely. 2) unlikely to succeed or be fulfilled. ● forlorn hope Cf. ↑forlorn hope DERIVATIVES forlornly adverb forlornness noun …   English terms dictionary

  • forlorn — index derelict (abandoned), disappointed, disconsolate, lugubrious, pessimistic Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • forlorn — 1 lorn, lone, desolate, lonesome, lonely, *alone, solitary Analogous words: separated, parted, divorced, severed, sundered (see SEPARATE vb): forsaken, deserted, abandoned (see ABANDON vb): wretched, *miserable: depressed, weighed down, oppressed …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • forlorn — [adj] hopeless, inconsolable abandoned, alone, bereft, blue*, cheerless, comfortless, cynical, defenseless, depressed, deserted, desolate, despairing, desperate, despondent, destitute, destroyed, disconsolate, down and out*, dragging*, forgotten …   New thesaurus

  • forlorn — [fôr lôrn′, fərlôrn′] adj. [ME forloren < OE, pp. of forleosan, to lose utterly: see FOR & LOSE] 1. abandoned or deserted 2. a) lonely and sad; unhappy and neglected b) without hope; desperate 3 …   English World dictionary

  • forlorn — [[t]fɔː(r)lɔ͟ː(r)n[/t]] 1) ADJ GRADED: ADJ n, v link ADJ, ADJ after v If someone is forlorn, they feel alone and unhappy. [LITERARY] One of the demonstrators, a young woman, sat forlorn on the pavement... He looked a forlorn figure as he limped… …   English dictionary

  • forlorn — for|lorn [fəˈlo:n US fərˈlo:rn] adj [: Old English; Origin: , past participle of forleosan to lose ] 1.) seeming lonely and unhappy ▪ a forlorn figure sitting all by herself ▪ Ana sat with a bowed head and spoke in a forlorn voice. 2.) a place… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • forlorn — adjective 1 seeming lonely and unhappy: a forlorn little figure sitting outside the station 2 a place that is forlorn seems empty and sad, and is often in bad condition: The house looked old and forlorn. 3 a forlorn hope something you hope for… …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

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