Word Study
forsake
CIDE DICTIONARY
forsake, v. t. [AS. forsacan to oppose, refuse; for- + sacan to contend, strive; akin to Goth. sakan. See For-, and Sake.].
- To quit or leave entirely; to desert; to abandon; to depart or withdraw from; to leave; as, false friends and flatterers forsake us in adversity. [1913 Webster]"If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments." [1913 Webster]
- To renounce; to reject; to refuse. [1913 Webster]"If you forsake the offer of their love."
Syn. -- To abandon; quit; desert; fail; relinquish; give up; renounce; reject. See Abandon.
OXFORD DICTIONARY
forsake, v.tr. (past forsook; past part. forsaken)
1 give up; break off from; renounce.
2 withdraw one's help, friendship, or companionship from; desert, abandon.
1 give up; break off from; renounce.
2 withdraw one's help, friendship, or companionship from; desert, abandon.
Derivative
forsakenness n. forsaker n.
Etymology
OE forsacan deny, renounce, refuse, f. WG; cf. OE sacan quarrel
THESAURUS
forsake
abandon, abdicate, back out, be unfaithful, beg off, break faith, cast off, chuck, cry off, deny, depart, depart from, desert, discard, drop out, evacuate, fail, flee, forgo, forswear, give up, go back on, have done with, jettison, jilt, leave, leave behind, leave flat, maroon, pass the buck, pull out, quit, quit cold, recant, reject, relinquish, renege, renounce, repudiate, resign, say goodbye to, shift the blame, shift the responsibility, stand down, surrender, take leave of, throw over, vacate, withdraw, yieldROGET THESAURUS
forsake
Relinquishment
VB relinquish, give up, abandon, desert, forsake, leave in the lurch, go back on, depart from, secede from, withdraw from, back out of, leave, quit, take leave of, bid a long farewell, vacate, renounce, forego, have done with, drop, disuse, discard, wash one's hands of, drop all idea of, break off, leave off, desist, stop, hold one's hand, stay one's hand, quit one's hold, give over, shut up shop, throw up the game, throw up the cards, give up the point, give up the argument, pass to the order of the day, move to the previous question, relinquish, give up, surrender, yield, cede, let go, let slip, spare, drop, resign, forego, renounce, abandon, expropriate, give away, dispose of, part with, lay aside, lay apart, lay down, lay on the shelf, set aside, put aside, put away, make away with, cast behind, maroon, give notice to quit, give warning, supersede, be rid of, get rid of, be quit of, get quit of, eject, rid oneself of, disburden oneself of, divest oneself of, dispossess oneself of, wash one's hands of, discard, cast off, dismiss, cast away, throw away, pitch away, fling away, cast aside, cast overboard, cast to the dogs, throw aside, throw overboard, throw to the dogs, pitch aside, pitch overboard, pitch to the dogs, fling aside, fling overboard, fling to the dogs, cast to the winds, throw to the winds, sweep to the winds, put away, turn away, sweep away, jettison, reject, quit one's hold, quitclaim.For further exploring for "forsake" in Webster Dictionary Online