v.
Pronunciation: fo ̇ r- ' tel
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form: -told \ - ' t ō ld \ ; -tell · ing
Date: 14th century
: to tell beforehand : PREDICT
– fore · tell · er noun
synonyms FORETELL , PREDICT , FORECAST , PROPHESY , PROGNOSTICATE mean to tell beforehand. FORETELL applies to the telling of the coming of a future event by any procedure or any source of information <seers foretold the calamity>. PREDICT commonly implies inference from facts or accepted laws of nature <astronomers predicted an eclipse>. FORECAST adds the implication of anticipating eventualities and differs from PREDICT in being usually concerned with probabilities rather than certainties < forecast snow>. PROPHESY connotes inspired or mystic knowledge of the future especially as the fulfilling of divine threats or promises < prophesying a new messiah>. PROGNOSTICATE is used less often than the other words; it may suggest learned or skilled interpretation, but more often it is simply a colorful substitute for PREDICT or PROPHESY < prognosticating the future>.