forge
forge — noun
- forgesingular
- forgesplural
1. a workplace with a fire that makes metal so hot it can be hammered and shaped in
a workplace with a fire that makes metal so hot it can be hammered and shaped into tools or other objects
The old blacksmith spent all morning at his forge, shaping a set of iron gates.
collocation: at the forge
Visitors to the historical village watched how horseshoes were made at the forge.
Felix built his own forge in the backyard so he could make custom knives.
After the fire destroyed the old forge, a local charity helped the blacksmith rebuild it.
用法筆記
This sense refers to the physical workspace or heating hearth of a blacksmith — not the act of metalworking, which uses the verb form.
forge — verb
- forgepresent simple I / you / we / they
- forgeshe / she / it
- forgedpast simple
- forging-ing form
1. to make a fake copy of a document, signature, painting, or banknote in order to
to make a fake copy of a document, signature, painting, or banknote in order to trick people into believing it is genuine
The police arrested a group that tried to forge the director's signature on company cheques.
forge + signature / document
Cyrus discovered someone had forged his identity to get a bank loan.
forge + identity (collocation for identity theft)
Experts confirmed that the painting had been forged and was worth almost nothing.
Tamar was charged with forging passports and selling them on the internet.
- counterfeit
more specific to money and official documents
- fake
more informal; can be used as verb ('to fake a signature')
- falsify
often used for altering an existing document rather than creating a new fake one
- authenticate
to prove something is genuine
文法句型
forge + object (signature / document / banknote)
用法筆記
Object is usually something written or printed: a signature, document, banknote, passport, painting. The focus is on deceiving others about authenticity.
常見錯誤
2. to develop or create something strong and lasting, such as a relationship, agree
to develop or create something strong and lasting, such as a relationship, agreement, or career, through sustained effort and determination
The two countries worked together to forge a peace agreement after years of conflict.
forge + a peace agreement / alliance / treaty
Trang managed to forge a successful career in journalism despite starting with no connections.
Working side by side for years, the team forged a lasting bond.
The university and the tech company forged a partnership to fund new research.
文法句型
forge + object (relationship / alliance / career / bond)
用法筆記
Common in formal and journalistic contexts. The object is usually an abstract noun like alliance, relationship, bond, agreement, or path. Unlike sense 4 (metalworking), this sense has nothing to do with literal metal.
3. to suddenly move forward with increased speed or power, especially in a race or
to suddenly move forward with increased speed or power, especially in a race or competitive situation
On the final lap, Yuna forged ahead and took the lead.
forge ahead — sudden forward movement
The cyclist forged past her opponents on the last stretch of the mountain stage.
Near the finish line, Pedro forged into the lead with a burst of energy.
With one strong stroke, the rowing team forged ahead of their rivals.
- surge
can be used similarly but also works without a directional particle ('the crowd surged')
- sprint
specific to running; implies the maximum possible speed
- burst ahead
more informal; same meaning as 'forge ahead'
- fall behind
to lose ground to competitors
文法句型
forge ahead
forge into + noun phrase
用法筆記
Nearly always used with 'ahead', 'past', or 'into the lead'. The subject is usually a person or vehicle in motion. Not used with objects — always intransitive.
4. to change the form of metal through intense heat followed by hammering, as a bla
to change the form of metal through intense heat followed by hammering, as a blacksmith would do to create tools or decorative objects
The artist forged a beautiful iron gate from a single bar of steel.
forge + object + from + material
Élise learned to forge knives from her grandfather, a trained blacksmith.
The sword was forged by a master craftsman in the mountains of central Japan.
Faisal used a heavy hammer to forge red-hot iron into a simple plow blade.
- hammer
focuses on the action of hitting more than the overall shaping process
- beat into shape
describes the process more vividly; less technical
- mold
used for softer materials like clay or plastic; not metalworking
文法句型
forge + object (metal / iron / steel) + into + shape
用法筆記
This is the original, literal meaning from which all other senses of 'forge' developed. The object is always metal, and the process involves heat and mechanical force. Distinguish from sense 2 (figurative creation) and sense 1 (counterfeiting).
常見錯誤
5. to keep advancing firmly and steadily despite difficulties, without giving up or
to keep advancing firmly and steadily despite difficulties, without giving up or slowing down
Despite the heavy rain and thick mud, the hikers forged steadily up the mountain trail.
forge + adverb of direction (steadily up / on / ahead)
The research team forged ahead with their experiments even after the funding was cut.
forge ahead with [something] — continue despite difficulty
Obi decided to forge on with his studies despite every difficulty.
Tyler forged through the snowstorm to reach the mountain hut before dark.
- press on
same sense of continuing despite difficulty; slightly less emphatic
- push forward
includes both literal and figurative progress; common in business contexts
- persevere
focuses on the mental determination rather than physical movement
文法句型
forge ahead
forge on
forge through + noun phrase
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 3 (SURGE AHEAD): sense 3 emphasizes a sudden burst of speed, while sense 5 emphasizes steady, determined progress over time. Often implies overcoming hardship.