foreslay

English

Alternative forms

• fore-slay

Etymology

From fore- +‎ slay.

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -eɪ

Verb

foreslay (third-person singular simple present foreslays, present participle foreslaying, simple past foreslew, past participle foreslain)

1. (transitive, rare, chiefly poetic) To slay beforehand or in advance
   • 1912, The Improvement Era, volume 16, page 103:

     Sole Mediator, God had promised Him, In Eden'd [sic] days an offering for sin, Immaculate conceived, the Holy One, Ere yet the earth was fashioned, the Lamb of God fore-slain.

   • 1913, William K. Boyd, Calendar of the State Papers relating to Scotland and Mary, Queen of Scots 1547-1603 Vol. VII, A.D. 1584-1585 - Page 209:

     [...], provided that in the meantime they do not lose their better friends — because he has not known a time when friends in Scotland were more worth, nor "foreslew" such other good opportunities and advantages as may be offered.

   • 2000, Harrison Fisher, Poematics Of The Hyperbloody Real: Poems 1980-2001:

     Then to recognize that dreams foreslay as they foresee the future, even the one hypnagogue stinging for the cause Compleat Sexuality in the words “snakes are cookie”— dream words— nonsense— and wake trying to do something with that, [...]

   • 2010, John Goodby, Illennium - Page 44:

     Since bras nor stone gnaw earth, nor brazenry but Dad morality foreslays there pudeur a slave is no salve more Ordure, First Class, I for an I in the very temple of delight! Out/r/age of need, of mutiles, of shame, rage at shame, shame at rage, [...]

Anagrams

• forelays