Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
No pronunciation record was provided for this word.
verb
To forfeit (a possession, privilege, etc.); ruin (oneself) by one's own conduct.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: shoot oneself in the foot
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To obstruct; barricade; block.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: forslow, barricade, block, choke, clog, close off, cumber, forwork, foul, gunk up, hamper, hinder, impede, interfere, interrupt, intervene, jam, obstruct, obturate, occlude, plug, roadblock, seal, stonewall, thwart, yield
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To do wrong to; injure; scathe.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: harm, wound, abuse, annoy, bewound, damage, damnify, dere, do damage to, do for, do ill, do violence to, forwork, grieve, harrow, hurt, injure, maul, mayhem, misdo, put someone in hospital, scaith, scathe, vulnerate, wet, afflict, aggrieve, do evil, do harm, ill-treat, ill-use, make mischief, mistreat, molest, oppress, outrage, overburden, pain, persecute, run down, trample on, tread on, weigh down, weigh heavy on
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To overwork; exhaust with toil.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: burn out, overburden, overlabour, overply, overtax, run someone ragged
Antonyms: none provided
History
From Middle English forwirken, forwerken, forwurchen, from Old English forwyrċan (“to do wrong, sin; ruin, undo, destroy; condemn, convict, curse; forfeit; barricade, obstruct, close up”), from Proto-Germanic *frawurkijaną, equivalent to for- + work. Cognate with Dutch verwerken (“to digest, assimilate, work up, put into action”), German verwirken (“to forfeit”), Gothic 𐍆𐍂𐌰𐍅𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌺𐌾𐌰𐌽 (frawaurkjan).
