Discuss forlorn here.

adjective

1) Deserted, abandoned, forsaken, destitute.

“Some say that ravens foster forlorn children.” - Shakespeare

2) Helpless, lost, wretched, solitary, friendless.

“The mighty sorrow has been borne,
And she is thoroughly forlorn.” - Wordsworth

3) Deprived, bereft, destitute.

“Make them seek for that they wont to scorn;
Of fortune and of hope at once forlorn.” - Spenser

4) Desolate, deserted.

“To some forlorn and naked hermitage.” - Shakespeare

5) Despicable, contemptible, miserable.

“He was so forlorn that his dimensions to any thick sight were invisible.” - Shakespeare

noun

1) A forlorn, deserted, or forsaken person.

“Forced to live in Scotland, a forlorn.” - Shakespeare

2) A forlorn hope; an advanced guard of troops; the van.

“The offered with speed to make always the forlorn of the army.” - Dryden

[Anglo Saxon forloren, past participle of forleosan = to destroy, to lose utterly; Danish forloren = lost; Dutch verloren, past participle of verliezen = to lose; German verloren past participle of verlieren = to lose.]

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I think I can see a cow with a crumpled horn on that badge.

Etymolological dictionaries indicate that “forlorn” is a past participle of ME “forlese” (i.e., for plus lose):

pp. of ME. forlēse, OE. forlēosan = OS. far-, forliosan (Du. verliezen), OHG. firliosan (G. verlieren), Goth. fraliusan; Gmc., f. *fer- *fra FOR-1 (1) + *leusan lose.

“For” appears to be a prefix similar to those in several languages (see below):

for-1 OE. for-, fær- = OS. for-, OHG. fir-, far- (Du., G. ver-), Goth. fair-, faur-, corr. to Gr. PERI-, PARA-1, L. PER-, Skr. pári, purā́, OIr. ar-, air-; IE. prefix with variation of form and wide extent of meaning, but esp. implying (i) rejection, exclusion, prohibition, (ii) destruction, (iii) exhaustion.

Thus, “for” is a prefix suggesting something not so good.

I got some of the infomation from my compact OED, as well as from the following:

http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-forlorn.html

I suppose you could back your way into other words. Otherwise, there are several good etymological dictionaries on line, as you probably know.

I neglected to welcome you to the forum. We need good minds, as many of us have lost ours along the way.

http://www.etymonline.com

http://www.dmoz.org/Reference/Dictionaries/Etymology (a long list of various word resources)

Well, you’ll just have to get your priorities in order. What’s more important: words or sleep?

20 feet up on a scaffold is a good place to think, as long as you keep your mind off the seasons—especially fall.

And what are you doing in the air? Just curious. My wife says I might as well be up there—or out there—much of the time.

Hi debbymoge.  Having a mind like a steel sieve and being in your 60’s, qualifies you as a colander girl in the Agora.  Welcome.

colander: a ktchen device used primarily for post-noodle drip.

If I’m not your age, I’m close, and, given the time, skills, and resources (none of which I possess), I would give it a shot. My wife says that we could never build a house together, even after 40 years of marriage, because it would take me another 40 years to decide on the details.

Unfortunately, she’s right. 

But building on sand? Doesn’t that give you a sinking feeling?

As douglang will so eloquently tell you in his Middle East Aussie way, Agora is the name of this language forum, although I don’t see where it’s called that at the moment. We shop for truth, justice, and the linguistic way.

If you need an opinion about language, we have many.

saparris - 30 April 2009 02:56 PM

colander: a ktchen device used primarily for post-noodle drip.

Strained humour is the Agora’s dish of the day.  Are you able to put your house plans online debbymoge?

As debbymoge is our colander girl for the month, Annabel must be the silver bulilit.

Never knew what a bulilit was until now.

I’m so glad I didn’t die in child birth. I would have missed knowing.