forsake

  • 1Forsake — For*sake , v. t. [imp. {Forsook}; p. p. {Forsaken}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Forsaking}.] [AS. forsacan to oppose, refuse; for + sacan to contend, strive; akin to Goth. sakan. See {For }, and {Sake}.] 1. To quit or leave entirely; to desert; to abandon;… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2forsake — [fôr sāk′, fərsāk′] vt. forsook, forsaken, forsaking [ME forsaken < OE forsacan, to oppose, forsake < for , FOR + sacan, to contend, strive < sacu: see SAKE1] 1. to give up; renounce (a habit, idea, etc.) 2. to leave; abandon SYN …

    English World dictionary

  • 3forsake — index abandon (physically leave), abandon (relinquish), abandon (withdraw), avoid (evade), default, defect …

    Law dictionary

  • 4forsake — (v.) O.E. forsacan object to, decline, oppose, refuse, deny, from for completely + sacan to deny, refuse (see SAKE (Cf. sake)) …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 5forsake — desert, *abandon Analogous words: repudiate, spurn, reject (see DECLINE): *abdicate, renounce, resign: quit, leave (see GO) Antonyms: return to: revert to …

    New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • 6forsake — meaning ‘to give up, go without’, is spelt for not fore , and has inflected forms forsook, forsaken. See for and fore …

    Modern English usage

  • 7forsake — [v] abandon, turn one’s back on abdicate, cast off, change one’s tune*, desert, disclaim, disown, drift away*, forgo, forswear, give up, have done with, jettison, jilt, kiss goodbye*, leave, leave flat*, leave high and dry*, quit, relinquish,… …

    New thesaurus

  • 8forsake — ► VERB (past forsook; past part. forsaken) chiefly literary 1) abandon. 2) renounce or give up. ORIGIN Old English …

    English terms dictionary

  • 9forsake — [[t]fə(r)s ʊk[/t]] forsaken 1) VERB (disapproval) If you forsake someone, you leave them when you should have stayed, or stop you helping them or looking after them. [LITERARY] [V n] I still love him and I would never forsake him. [V n]… …

    English dictionary

  • 10forsake — verb past tense forsook past participle forsaken noun (T) literary 1 to leave someone, especially when you should stay because they need you: God will never forsake you. 2 to stop doing or leave something that you have or enjoy: We had to forsake …

    Longman dictionary of contemporary English