Shouting Fore on a Golf Course Is a Warning
Fore means situated in front. Golfers shout it to warn anyone ahead of a struck ball.
Fore means situated in front, and is shouted in golf to warn people ahead that a ball is coming. The warning is most often explained as a shortening of *before*, used as a general cry of caution; another suggestion connects it to *forecaddie*, a servant sent ahead to mark where balls landed. The first is the more widely accepted. As a prefix *fore-* is highly productive: forecast, foresee, forewarn, forehead and foreground all use it.
- In front. *The fore of the ship.*
- A golf warning. *Shout fore.*
- To the fore — prominent. *Came to the fore.*
- Fore- — the prefix. *Forecast.*
- Old English — *fore*. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Adjective | fore | The fore deck. |
| Interjection | fore | Fore! |
| Prefix | fore- | Foresee. |
| Opposite | aft | Aft. |
| Old English | fore | Before. |
- The mast stands fore.Nautical.
- He shouted fore.Golf.
- The issue came to the fore.Idiom.
The fore- prefix
- Forecast — thrown ahead in time
- Foresee — to see in advance
- Forewarn — to warn beforehand
- Forehead — the front of the head
- Foreground — the front of a scene
Old English *fore*, before or in front, of Germanic origin, related to German *vor*.
Why do golfers shout fore?
As a warning to anyone ahead. It is most often explained as a shortening of before, used as a general cry of caution.
What does to the fore mean?
To a prominent or leading position, from the nautical sense of being at the front.