forsake

for·sake

transitive verb \fər-ˈsāk, fȯr-\

for·sook \-ˈsu̇k\ for·sak·en \-ˈsā-kən\ for·sak·ing

Definition of FORSAKE

: to renounce or turn away from entirely <friends have forsaken her> <forsook the theater for politics>

Examples of FORSAKE

1. <forsaking most of our possessions, we evacuated just before the hurricane struck>

Origin of FORSAKE

Middle English, from Old English forsacan, from for- + sacan to dispute; akin to Old English sacu action at law — more at sake

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to FORSAKE

Synonyms

abandon, desert, leave, maroon, quit, strand

Antonyms

reclaim

Related Words

discard, ditch, dump, fling, jettison, junk, scrap, shed, shuck (off), throw away, throw out; deliver, give up, hand over, relinquish, surrender, yield; escape, retreat (from), take off (from), vacate, withdraw (from); abjure, cut off, disown, reject, renounce, repudiate, separate (from); sacrifice; distance; disregard, forget, ignore, neglect

Near Antonyms

harbor, have, hold, keep, own, possess, reserve, retain, withhold; redeem, rescue, save

See Synonym Discussion at abandon

Rhymes with FORSAKE

air brake, awake, backache, beefcake, beefsteak, betake, blacksnake, bull snake, canebrake, caretake, cheesecake, cheesesteak, clambake, club steak, corncrake, cube steak, cupcake, daybreak, disc brake, drum brake, earache, earthquake, fair shake, fast break, firebreak, firedrake, fish cake, flank steak, friedcake, fruitcake, green snake, grubstake, hand brake, handshake, headache, heartache, heartbreak, hoecake, hotcake, housebreak, intake, jailbreak, keepsake, king snake, lapstrake, mandrake, milk snake, mistake, moonquake, muckrake, namesake, newsbreak, oatcake, oil cake, opaque, outbreak, outtake, Pan-Cake, pancake, partake, pound cake, pump fake, rat snake, remake, retake, rewake, rock brake, seaquake, sea snake, seedcake, sheldrake, shortcake, snowflake, sponge cake, Swiss steak, tea cake, toothache, unmake, uptake, wheat cake, windbreak, wind shake, youthquake