FromMiddle English*foredemen, fromOld Englishforedēman(“to prejudge”), equivalent tofore- +deem.
foredeem (third-person singular simple presentforedeems,present participleforedeeming,simple past and past participleforedeemed)
- (intransitive, obsolete) Tojudge, form a judgement of, ordeclare beforehand;foretell;forecast;presage.
Which [maid] could guess andforedeem of things past, present, and to come.
- (transitive) Todeem oraccount in advance;consider;take for granted;expect.
- 1564,Nicholas Udall,Apophthegmatum opus (originally byErasmus)
- And of a beste, then fordeme the worst frende it was more standing with humanitee and gentlenesse to hope the best, then toforedeme the worste
1918, John Duncan Quackenbos,Magnhild: a tale of psychic love:The doctor was as curious to learn how his suggestions would affect the conduct of Mrs. Radford when she should report to Blackwood, and he rightlyforedeemed an early conference at the Lexington Avenue residence.
