forhow

F4O1R1H4O1W4

verb

To despise; scorn.

OriginMiddle English forhowien ← Old English forhogian →
Scrabble 15
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Meanings

verbforhow (third-person singular simple present forhows, present participle forhowing, simple past and past participle forhowed)

present singular third person forhows · participle present forhowing · participle past forhowed · past forhowed · alternative forhoo · alternative forhooie · alternative forhooy · alternative forhui · alternative furhow

  1. obsoletetransitiveTo despise; scorn.
  2. ScotlandUKdialectaltransitiveTo forsake; quit; abandon; desert.

    It was believed that handling any bird's eggs in the nest made the bird forhooie them, [...]

    1881, Gregor, Elk-Lore
  3. ScotlandUKdialectaltransitiveTo cast off; scorn.

    Mind what this lass has undergane for you, Since ye did her so treach'rously forhow, [...]

    1768, Ross, Hclenort

Origin

  1. Old Englishforhogian“to neglect, disregard, despise”
  2. Middle Englishforhowien
  3. Englishforhow

From Middle English forhowien, from Old English forhogian (“to neglect, disregard, despise”), equivalent to for- + how. Cognate with Old Saxon farhuggjan, Old High German farhuggan.

More words from Middle English, Old English

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

forhow. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/forhow

MLA

“forhow.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/forhow. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “forhow,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/forhow.

Source: forhow on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.