forethought
/ˈfɔːθɔːt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈfɔːrθɔːt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈfȯr-ˌthȯt/ (ame, mw)
forethought — noun
1. careful thought about what could happen in the future, done before making a choi
careful thought about what could happen in the future, done before making a choice or taking action so that things go well
With a little forethought, the team could have booked the hotel rooms before the prices went up.
with + forethought, describing missed opportunity
Mei-Lin showed remarkable forethought by saving part of her salary each month for emergencies.
showed forethought by + -ing clause
The outdoor wedding succeeded thanks to the couple's forethought in checking the weather forecast.
The architect's forethought in designing wider doorways made the building accessible to everyone.
A lack of forethought about visa requirements caused problems for the travelers at the border.
- foresight
emphasises the ability to see what will happen; forethought emphasises the action taken based on that ability
- prudence
stresses caution and sensible management rather than active advance planning
- preparation
more concrete and general; forethought is the mental planning, not the physical act of preparing
- hindsight
understanding of a situation only after it has happened
- carelessness
lack of attention given to possible future outcomes
用法筆記
Often used in negative constructions ('lack of forethought', 'without forethought') to criticise a failure to plan, or positively ('with forethought', 'thanks to forethought') to praise good planning.
常見錯誤
2. the act of arranging the details of a harmful or illegal action before carrying
the act of arranging the details of a harmful or illegal action before carrying it out, especially as part of a planned crime
The prosecutor argued that the crime showed clear forethought, not a sudden act of anger.
show + forethought, used in legal argument
Detectives uncovered emails that revealed forethought in the planning of the fraud scheme.
The lawyer claimed her client acted without forethought, on a sudden and overwhelming impulse.
A murder charge requires proof of forethought, meaning the intention to kill or cause serious injury.
The recording revealed forethought in how the suspects planned to cover their tracks.
- premeditation
the exact legal synonym, more common in courtroom language
- deliberation
focuses on careful weighing of options rather than advance planning
- intent
broader term meaning purpose or aim; forethought specifies that the intent was formed in advance
用法筆記
Frequently used in the fixed legal phrase 'malice aforethought', which is the specific mental element required for a murder conviction. Outside this phrase, 'forethought' in this sense is less common and typically appears in formal criminal proceedings.
常見錯誤
forethought — adjective
- forethoughtpositive
- more forethoughtcomparative
- most forethoughtsuperlative
1. planned or decided on beforehand — used almost exclusively in the fixed legal ph
planned or decided on beforehand — used almost exclusively in the fixed legal phrase 'malice aforethought', which means the intention to kill or cause serious harm that makes a killing legally murder rather than manslaughter
The judge explained that malice aforethought does not require ill will toward the victim.
malice aforethought — does not require + noun clause
To prove murder, the prosecution must show that the defendant acted with malice aforethought.
The jury decided that the killing showed malice aforethought and returned a verdict of murder.
Without evidence of malice aforethought, the charge was reduced from murder to manslaughter.
The concept of malice aforethought has a long history in English common law.
- premeditated
the standard adjective outside legal contexts; 'aforethought' is restricted to the set phrase
- deliberate
broader; can describe any intentional action, not just killing
- calculated
suggests cold, rational planning rather than emotional intent
- unpremeditated
not planned in advance
- accidental
happening by chance, without intention
用法筆記
Never used outside the set phrase 'malice aforethought' in modern English. 'Aforethought' on its own does not occur before nouns (you cannot say 'an aforethought plan'). The entire phrase functions as a legal term of art.