Forget

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /fəˈɡɛt/
• US
• Rhymes: -É›t

Origin

From Middle English forgeten, forgiten, forȝeten, forȝiten, from Old English forġietan ("to forget"), from Proto-Germanic *fragetaną ("to give up, forget"), equivalent to - + get. Cognate with Scots forget, forȝet ("to forget"), West Frisian ferjitte, forjitte ("to forget"), Dutch vergeten ("to forget"), German vergessen ("to forget"), Swedish förgäta ("to forget").

Full definition of forget

Verb

1. (transitive) To lose remembrance of.I have forgotten most of the things I learned in school.
• 1922, Margery Williams, The Velveteen RabbitFor at least two hours the Boy loved him, and then Aunts and Uncles came to dinner, and there was a great rustling of tissue paper and unwrapping of parcels, and in the excitement of looking at all the new presents the Velveteen Rabbit was forgotten.
2. (transitive) To unintentionally not do, neglect.I forgot to buy flowers for my wife at our 14th wedding anniversary.
3. (intransitive) To cease remembering.Let's just forget about it.
4. (slang) euphemism for fuck, screw a mild oath.Forget you!

Usage notes

In sense 1 and 3 this is a catenative verb that takes the gerund (-ing).

In sense 2 this is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive.

See

Synonyms

• obliviate, overlook, pass over, disremember

Antonyms

• acquire, learn, mind, recall, recollect, remember, reminisce

Derived terms