I. ̷ ̷ˈ ̷ ̷ transitive verb
Etymology: Middle English forrennen, forerennen, from for-, fore- fore- + rennen to run — more at run
1. : to run before : be in advance of (something following) : precede
2. : to come before as an earnest of something to follow : introduce as a harbinger : announce
these signs forerun the death or fall of kings — Shakespeare
3. : forestall , anticipate
II. ˈ ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷ noun
or forerunning ˈ ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷
: the first part that comes over in a distillation : the most volatile portion of a distilland
the foreruns of citronella oil
— often used in plural