forelock

plural forelocks

1. The part of a person's hairstyle which covers the forehead.

   we also will call the infernal guards to cast him into hell.

   1734, The Koran: Commonly Called the Alkoran of Mohammed, translated by George Sale, Sura 96, Congealed Blood, http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/7440/pg7440-images.html Doth he not know that god seeth? Assuredly. Verily, if he forbear not, we will drag him by the forelock, the lying, sinful forelock. And let him call his council to assistance

   4 more examples

   His fair large front and eye sublime declared Absolute rule; and hyacinthine locks Round from his parted forelock manly hung Clustering, but not beneath his shoulders broad:

   1667, John Milton, “Book IV”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 300-303

   Warm with the blood of lads I know Comes east the sighing air. It fanned their temples, filled their lungs, Scattered their forelocks free;

   1896, A. E. Housman, A Shropshire Lad, section XXXVIII

   This little boy, still flicking his head to one side between sentences though the long blond forelock that once excused the tic had been cut […]

   1978, Edmund White, chapter VIII, in Nocturnes for the King of Naples, New York: St. Martin's Press, page 135

   "[…] And since the terrain is appropriate for achieving that end, there is no reason not to seize Opportunity by the forelock⁵ when it is convenient to do so." […] 5. The figure of Opportunity was traditionally represented as bald except for one lock of hair, which, like the proverbial brass ring, one had to grasp and hold on to.

   Part 1 published in 1605, Part 2 in 1615, translated in 2003, Miguel de Cervantes and translated by Edith Grossman, Don Quixote, page 193

   Synonyms: bangs, fringe

2. The part of a horse's (or similar animal's) mane that lies on its forehead.

   Even Boxer was vaguely troubled. He set his ears back, shook his forelock several times, and tried hard to marshal his thoughts; but in the end he could not think of anything to say.

   1945, George Orwell, chapter 5, in Animal Farm

   1 more example

   […] the gates themselves slowly parted, there appeared a large horse's head, with a plaited forelock under a decorated yoke, and slowly there rolled into the road a small cart, like those driven by horse-dealers, and higglers.

   1898, Ivan Turgenev, translated by Constance Garnett, A Lear of the Steppes and Other Stories, New York: Macmillan, page 146

   Synonyms: foretop

plural forelocks

1. A wedge pushed through a hole at the end of a bolt to hold it in place.

present singular third person forelocks · participle present forelocking · participle past forelocked · past forelocked

1. To fix in place with a forelock (wedge)

   At one extremity each pair was firmly connected by a short, massive, iron link, of about two feet in length; and, at its opposite end, a large eye-bolt was driven into each stick, where it was securely forelocked.

   1835, James Fenimore Cooper, chapter 14, in The Monikins