foretell

present singular third person foretells · participle present foretelling · participle past foretold · past foretold · alternative obsolete foretel

1. ambitransitiveTo predict; to tell (the future) before it occurs; to prophesy.

   Deeds then undone me faithful tongue foretold.

   1725–1726, Homer, “Book 2”, in [William Broome, Elijah Fenton, Alexander Pope], transl., The Odyssey of Homer. […], London: […] Bernard Lintot, →OCLC

   2 more examples

   Prodigies, foretelling the future eminence and lustre of his character.

   1741, Conyers Middleton, The Life of Cicero

   This was a demise foretold. Fatalistic in the face of a parliamentary impasse, Mr. Bayrou had, even before the debate began, invited his entourage to a “convivial moment,” or farewell soirée, this evening.

   2025 September 8, Roger Cohen, “French Prime Minister Bayrou Loses Confidence Vote, Putting Pressure on Macron”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC

   Synonyms: foresay, forespeak

2. transitiveTo tell (a person) of the future.

   […] there came to him a Person named Saul, whom Samuel had never before seen; but God made him know it was the same he had foretold him of.

   1739, Edward Button, Rudiments of Ancient History