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Fore vs Bow - What's the difference?

fore | bow |

In nautical terms the difference between fore and bow

is that fore is in or towards the bows of a ship while bow is the front of a boat or ship.

As nouns the difference between fore and bow

is that fore is the front; the forward part of something; the foreground while bow is a weapon made of a curved piece of wood or other flexible material whose ends are connected by a string, used for shooting arrows.

As verbs the difference between fore and bow

is that fore is simple past of fare while bow is to play music on (a stringed instrument) using a bow.

As an adjective fore

is former; occurring earlier (in some order); previous.

As an interjection fore

is an exclamation yelled to inform players a ball is moving in their direction.

As an adverb fore

is in the part that precedes or goes first; opposed to aft, after, back, behind, etc.

As a proper noun Fore

is a people of Papua New Guinea.

fore

English

Etymology 1

A development of the prefix .

Adjective

  • (obsolete) Former; occurring earlier (in some order); previous.
    • the fore part of the day
  • Forward; situated towards the front (of something).
    • the fore end of a wagon
  • * 1969 , Vladimir Nabokov, Ada or Ardor , Penguin 2011, p. 23:
    • Crystal vases with crimson roses and golden-brown asters were set here and there in the fore part of the shop [...].
    Antonyms
    * (order) latter * (location) aft

    Interjection

    (en interjection)
  • (golf) An exclamation yelled to inform players a ball is moving in their direction.

    • Noun

    (-)
  • The front; the forward part of something; the foreground.
    • The fore was painted white.
  • * 2002 , Mark Bevir, The Logic of the History of Ideas :
    • People face a dilemma whenever they bring to the fore an understanding that appears inadequate in the light of the other beliefs they bring to bear on it.
    Related terms
    * fore-and-aft * foremost * forehead

    Adverb

    (-)
  • In the part that precedes or goes first; opposed to aft, after, back, behind, etc.
  • (obsolete) Formerly; previously; afore.
  • * Shakespeare
    • The eyes, fore duteous, now converted are.
  • (nautical) In or towards the bows of a ship.

    • Etymology 2

    *

    Verb

    (head)
  • (fare)

    • Anagrams

    * * * English irregular simple past forms ----

    bow

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) boga, from (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A weapon made of a curved piece of wood or other flexible material whose ends are connected by a string, used for shooting arrows.
  • A curved bend in a rod or planar surface, or in a linear formation such as a river (see oxbow ).
  • A rod with horsehair (or an artificial substitute) stretched between the ends, used for playing various stringed musical instruments.
  • A stringed instrument, similar to the item described above.
  • A type of knot with two loops, used to tie together two cords such as shoelaces or apron strings, and frequently used as decoration, such as in gift-wrapping.
  • Anything bent or curved, such as a rainbow.
  • * Bible, Genesis ix. 13
    • I do set my bow in the cloud.
  • The U-shaped piece which goes around the neck of an ox and fastens it to the yoke.
  • Any instrument consisting of an elastic rod, with ends connected by a string, employed for giving reciprocating motion to a drill, or for preparing and arranging hair, fur, etc., used by hatters.
  • (nautical) A crude sort of quadrant formerly used for taking the sun's altitude at sea.
  • (saddlery) Two pieces of wood which form the arched forward part of a saddletree.
    • Synonyms
    * (bow-shaped bend) arc, bend, curve * (tool for playing stringed instruments) fiddlestick
    Derived terms
    * bow and arrow * bowman * bowmanship * composite bow * compound bow * crossbow * longbow * oxbow * rainbow * shortbow * bow tie

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To play music on (a stringed instrument) using a bow.
    • The musician bowed his violin expertly.
  • To become bent or curved.
    • The shelf bowed under the weight of the books.
  • To make something bend or curve.
  • * Milton
    • We bow things the contrary way, to make them come to their natural straightness.
  • * Prescott
    • The whole nation bowed their necks to the worst kind of tyranny.
  • (figurative) To exercise powerful or controlling influence over; to bend, figuratively; to turn; to incline.
  • * Francis Bacon
    • Adversities do more bow men's minds to religion.
  • * Fuller
    • not to bow and bias their opinions
  • To premiere.
    • Cronenberg’s "Cosmopolis" bows in Cannes this week.

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) . Cognate with Dutch buigen, German biegen, Danish bue.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To bend oneself as a gesture of respect or deference.
  • * 1900 , , (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz)
    • The soldier now blew upon a green whistle, and at once a young girl, dressed in a pretty green silk gown, entered the room. She had lovely green hair and green eyes, and she bowed low before Dorothy as she said, "Follow me and I will show you your room."
  • * , chapter=4
    • , title= Mr. Pratt's Patients , passage=I told him about everything I could think of; and what I couldn't think of he did. He asked about six questions during my yarn, but every question had a point to it. At the end he bowed and thanked me once more. As a thanker he was main-truck high; I never see anybody so polite.}}
  • (transitive, and, intransitive) To debut.
  • * 2010 (publication date), Kara Krekeler, "Rebuilding the opera house", West End Word , volume 39, number 26, December 22, 2010 – January 11, 2011, page 1:
    • SCP recently announced that How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical will bow on the newly renovated stage next December.
  • To defer (to something).
    • Derived terms
    * bow down * bow out * bow and scrape * take a bow

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A gesture, usually showing respect, made by inclining the head or bending forward at the waist.
    • He bowed politely as he entered the room.
  • A debut
    • The new product will make its bow on the world market this summer.
  • * {{quote-journal, 1832, , Literary Notices, The Rail-Road Journal citation
    • , passage=The first named one, it will be observed, is but a debutant. It makes its bow in a drab-colored Quaker-looking dress, and barring a lively McGrawler-like critique upon " Lewis' Poems," is staid and professorial in its tone.}}

    Etymology 3

    From (etyl) boech or (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (nautical) The front of a boat or ship.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1907, author=
    • , title=The Dust of Conflict , chapter=6 citation , passage=The night was considerably clearer than anybody on board her desired when the schooner Ventura headed for the land. It rose in places, black and sharp against the velvety indigo, over her dipping bow , though most of the low littoral was wrapped in obscurity.}}
    Synonyms
    * (of a ship) prow
    Antonyms
    * (of a ship) poop, stern
    Derived terms
    * bow shock * bow rudder

    See also

    * coll'arco * curtsy * kowtow * * * * * * *

    Anagrams

    * English heteronyms English terms with multiple etymologies