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| A forlorn hope | Forlorn \For*lorn"\, a. [OE., p. p. of forlesen to lose utterly, AS. forle['o]san (p. p. forloren); pref. for- + le['o]san (in comp.) to lose; cf. D. verliezen to lose, G. verlieren, Sw. f["o]rlora, Dan. forloren, Goth. fraliusan to lose. See {For-}, and {Lorn}, a., {Lose}, v. t.] 1. Deserted; abandoned; lost. [1913 Webster] Of fortune and of hope at once forlorn. --Spenser. [1913 Webster] Some say that ravens foster forlorn children. --Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. Destitute; helpless; in pitiful plight; wretched; miserable; almost hopeless; desperate. [1913 Webster] For here forlorn and lost I tread. --Goldsmith. [1913 Webster] The condition of the besieged in the mean time was forlorn in the extreme. --Prescott. [1913 Webster] She cherished the forlorn hope that he was still living. --Thomson. [1913 Webster] {A forlorn hope} [D. verloren hoop, prop., a lost band or troop; verloren, p. p. of verliezen to lose + hoop band; akin to E. heap. See {For-}, and {Heap}.] (Mil.), a body of men (called in F. {enfants perdus}, in G. {verlornen posten}) selected, usually from volunteers, to attempt a breach, scale the wall of a fortress, or perform other extraordinarily perilous service; also, a desperate case or enterprise. Syn: Destitute, lost; abandoned; forsaken; solitary; helpless; friendless; hopeless; abject; wretched; miserable; pitiable. [1913 Webster] |
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