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forge 1 (fôrj)
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n.
1. A furnace or hearth where metals are heated or wrought; a smithy.
2. A workshop where pig iron is transformed into wrought iron.
v. forged, forg·ing, forg·es
v.tr.
1.
a. To form (metal, for example) by heating in a forge and beating or hammering into shape.
b. To form (metal) by a mechanical or hydraulic press.
2. To give form or shape to, especially by means of careful effort: forge a treaty; forge a close relationship.
3. To fashion or reproduce for fraudulent purposes; counterfeit: forge a signature.
v.intr.
1. To work at a forge or smithy.
2. To make a forgery or counterfeit.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Vulgar Latin *faurga, from Latin fabrica, from faber, worker.]
forge′a·bili·ty n.
forgea·ble adj.
forger n.
(click for a larger image)
forge1
blacksmith forging metal
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
forge 2 (fôrj)
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intr.v. forged, forg·ing, forg·es
1. To advance gradually but steadily: forged ahead through throngs of shoppers.
2. To advance with an abrupt increase of speed: forged into first place with seconds to go.
[Probably from FORGE1.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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