forsake
pronunciation
How to pronounce forsake in British English:
UK [fəˈseɪk]
How to pronounce forsake in American English:
US [fərˈseɪk]
-
- Verb:
- leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch
Word Origin
- forsake
- forsake: see sake
- forsake (v.)
- Old English forsacan "object to, oppose, refuse, deny; give up, renounce" (past tense forsoc, past participle forsacen), from for- "completely" + sacan "to struggle, dispute, wrangle; accuse, blame" (see sake). Related: Forsaking. Similar formation in Old Saxon farsakan, Dutch verzaken, Old High German farsahhan "deny, repudiate," Danish forsage "give up, refuse." Forsake is chiefly applied to leaving that by which natural affection or a sense of duty should or might have led us to remain: as, to forsake one's home, friends, country, or cause; a bird forsakes its nest. In the passive it often means left desolate, forlorn. [Century Dictionary]
Example
- 1. Germany will not forsake france .
- 2. For now , micoach is the only iphone app for which I would forsake my garmin watch .
- 3. He has promised repeatedly , " I will never leave you nor forsake you . "
- 4. The state requires only that public schools emphasise abstinence , not that they forsake all other approaches .
- 5. Ahead loomed the euro . The risk was that footloose financial firms might forsake the city and cluster instead in frankfurt , home of the new european central bank .