Foresee Meaning
/fɔɹˈsi/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbTo perceive (a situation or event) in advance.
verbTo provide.
Sentence Examples
The aim of science is, as has often been said, to foresee, not to understand.
Nobody can foresee what'll happen.
Nobody can foresee when the war will end.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
The weather experts could not ____ the sudden storm that hit the coast.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
It is difficult to ____ how technology will continue to transform our daily lives in the coming decades.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English foreseen, forseen, from Old English foresēon; equivalent to fore- + see. Similar formations in Dutch voorzien, German vorsehen, Latin prōvideō, (whence provide and purvey), Ancient Greek πρόοιδα (próoida), Polish przewidzieć, Russian провидеть (providetʹ).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"A prudent man foreſeeth the euill, and hideth himſelfe: but the ſimple paſſe on, and are puniſhed."
— 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Proverbs 22:3:
"Ariel. My Maſter through his Art foreſees the danger
That you (his friend) are in, and ſends me forth
(For elſe his proiect dies) to keepe them liuing."
— 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i], page 8:
""I foresee in this," he says, "the breaking up of our profession.""
— 1838, Charles Dickens, The Lamplighter:
"One might imagine that the directors foresaw the somewhat uninspiring appearance of the future Manchester stations, and decided to start as it was intended to go on."
— 1957 September 26, M. D. Greville and G. O. Holt, “Railway Development in Manchester—1”, in Railway Magazine, page 615:
""If you foresee the event and you go forward, then you are criminally negligent," she said, adding, "This was a boat that navigated on the waters of Lake George since 1979. In terms of criminal negligence, there clearly wasn't the foreseeability that there may be in civil negligence.""
— 2007 February 6, Danny Hakim, quoting Kathleen B. Hogan, “Two Misdemeanor Charges in Lake George Capsizing”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 26 Nov 2022:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The weather experts could not ____ the sudden storm that hit the coast.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
It is difficult to ____ how technology will continue to transform our daily lives in the coming decades.