\Fore\, n. [AS. f?r, fr. faran to go. See {Fare}, v. i.]
Journey; way; method of proceeding. [Obs.] ``Follow him and
his fore.'' --Chaucer.

\Fore\, adv. [AS. fore, adv. & prep., another form of for.
See {For}, and cf. {Former}, {Foremost}.]
1. In the part that precedes or goes first; -- opposed to
   aft, after, back, behind, etc.
2. Formerly; previously; afore. [Obs. or Colloq.]
         The eyes, fore duteous, now converted are. --Shak.
3. (Naut.) In or towards the bows of a ship.
{Fore and aft} (Naut.), from stem to stern; lengthwise of the
   vessel; -- in distinction from athwart. --R. H. Dana, Jr.
{Fore-and-aft rigged} (Naut.), not rigged with square sails
   attached to yards, but with sails bent to gaffs or set on
   stays in the midship line of the vessel. See {Schooner},
   {Sloop}, {Cutter}.

\Fore\, a. [See {Fore}, adv.]
Advanced, as compared with something else; toward the front;
being or coming first, in time, place, order, or importance;
preceding; anterior; antecedent; earlier; forward; -- opposed
to {back} or {behind}; as, the fore part of a garment; the
fore part of the day; the fore and of a wagon.
      The free will of the subject is preserved, while it is
      directed by the fore purpose of the state. --Southey.
Note: Fore is much used adjectively or in composition.
{Fore bay}, a reservoir or canal between a mill race and a
   water wheel; the discharging end of a pond or mill race.
{Fore body} (Shipbuilding), the part of a ship forward of the
   largest cross-section, distinguisched from middle body abd
   after body.
{Fore boot}, a receptacle in the front of a vehicle, for
   stowing baggage, etc.
{Fore bow}, the pommel of a saddle. --Knight.
{Fore cabin}, a cabin in the fore part of a ship, usually
   with inferior accommodations.
{Fore carriage}.
(a) The forward part of the running gear of a four-wheeled
    vehicle.
(b) A small carriage at the front end of a plow beam.
{Fore course} (Naut.), the lowermost sail on the foremost of
   a square-rigged vessel; the foresail. See Illust. under
   {Sail}.
{Fore door}. Same as {Front door}.
{Fore edge}, the front edge of a book or folded sheet, etc.
{Fore elder}, an ancestor. [Prov. Eng.]
{Fore end}.
(a) The end which precedes; the earlier, or the nearer, part;
    the beginning.
          I have . . . paid More pious debts to heaven, than
          in all The fore end of my time.      --Shak.
(b) In firearms, the wooden stock under the barrel, forward
    of the trigger guard, or breech frame.
{Fore girth}, a girth for the fore part (of a horse, etc.); a
   martingale.
{Fore hammer}, a sledge hammer, working alternately, or in
   time, with the hand hammer.
{Fore leg}, one of the front legs of a quadruped, or
   multiped, or of a chair, settee, etc.
{Fore peak} (Naut.), the angle within a ship's bows; the
   portion of the hold which is farthest forward.
{Fore piece}, a front piece, as the flap in the fore part of
   a sidesaddle, to guard the rider's dress.
{Fore plane}, a carpenter's plane, in size and use between a
   jack plane and a smoothing plane. --Knight.
{Fore reading}, previous perusal. [Obs.] --Hales.
{Fore rent}, in Scotland, rent payable before a crop is
   gathered.
{Fore sheets} (Naut.), the forward portion of a rowboat; the
   space beyond the front thwart. See {Stern sheets}.
{Fore shore}.
(a) A bank in advance of a sea wall, to break the force of
    the surf.
(b) The seaward projecting, slightly inclined portion of a
    breakwater. --Knight.
(c) The part of the shore between high and low water marks.
{Fore sight}, that one of the two sights of a gun which is
   near the muzzle.
{Fore tackle} (Naut.), the tackle on the foremast of a ship.
{Fore topmast}. (Naut.) See {Fore-topmast}, in the
   Vocabulary.
{Fore wind}, a favorable wind. [Obs.]
         Sailed on smooth seas, by fore winds borne.
                                               --Sandys.
{Fore world}, the antediluvian world. [R.] --Southey.

\Fore\, n.
The front; hence, that which is in front; the future.
{At the fore} (Naut.), at the fore royal masthead; -- said of
   a flag, so raised as a signal for sailing, etc.
{To the fore}.
(a) In advance; to the front; to a prominent position; in
    plain sight; in readiness for use.
(b) In existence; alive; not worn out, lost, or spent, as
    money, etc. [Irish] ``While I am to the fore.'' --W.
    Collins. ``How many captains in the regiment had two
    thousand pounds to the fore?'' --Thackeray.

\Fore\, prep.
Before; -- sometimes written 'fore as if a contraction of
afore or before. [Obs.]