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.
© Webster 1913.
For"ward (?), For"wards (?), adv. [AS. forweard, foreweard; for, fore + -weardes; akin to G. vorwarts. 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.
© Webster 1913.
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; to 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 season; as, the grass is forward, or forward for the season; we have a forward spring.
<-- the latter sense is now
early. -->
The most forward bud
Is eaten by the canker ere it blow.
Shak.
© Webster 1913.
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.
© Webster 1913.