foreslow

/fɔː(ɹ)ˈsləʊ/

//fɔː(ɹ)ˈsləʊ// verb

"foreslow" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“foreslow” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To be slow or tardy; to slow down.

Corpus desk

Index EN-foreslow · foreslow · English

foreslow · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "F" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for foreslow
PropertyValue
Headwordforeslow
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/fɔː(ɹ)ˈsləʊ/
Letters8
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “foreslow” in English

foreslowranks outside the top 100,000 English headwords, in the long tail of specialist, archaic, or seldom-used vocabulary, exactly the territory where a reader stops mid-sentence to double-check spelling.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

foreslow is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as averb, transcribed /fɔː(ɹ)ˈsləʊ/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

Zero misspellings are on record for foreslow in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: Alteration of earlier forslow (spelling presumably influenced by fore-), from Middle English forslowen. More at forslow. The correct English form is foreslow, spelled F-O-R-E-S-L-O-W.

Definition

  1. 1
    To be slow or tardy; to slow down.
  2. 2
    To slow, hinder, delay, impede.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how foreslow appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Furthermore all that are carried with circular motion, seem to foreslow, and to move with more than one motion.
  2. No stream, no wood, no mountain could foreslow / Their hasty pace.

Etymology

Alteration of earlier forslow (spelling presumably influenced by fore-), from Middle English forslowen. More at forslow.

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "foreslow"?
"foreslow" is spelled F-O-R-E-S-L-O-W. The IPA pronunciation is /fɔː(ɹ)ˈsləʊ/.
What does "foreslow" mean?
As a verb, "foreslow" means: To be slow or tardy; to slow down.
How do you pronounce "foreslow"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "foreslow" is /fɔː(ɹ)ˈsləʊ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "foreslow"?
Alteration of earlier forslow (spelling presumably influenced by fore-), from Middle English forslowen. More at forslow. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list