foreganger

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English

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Etymology

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From Middle English forganger, forgangere, from Old English *foregangere, from foregangan (to go before, precede, go in front of, project, excel), equivalent to fore- +‎ ganger. Cognate with Scots foregangare (a foregoer), Dutch voorganger (a predecessor, progenitor), German Vorgänger (a predecessor, precursor), Swedish föregångare (a forerunner, precursor, progenitor).

Noun

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foreganger (plural foregangers)

  1. (archaic, rare) One who or that which goes before; a forerunner; a harbinger; a predecessor.
  2. (nautical) A short rope grafted on a harpoon, to which a longer line may be attached.
    • 1820, William Scoresby, The whale-fishery:
      The foreganger is most commonly formed of white or untarred rope , which is stronger and more flexible than tarred rope , consequently more easily extended when the harpoon is thrown

References

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