An archaic word meaning to break completely or to shatter into pieces entirely.
From Old English 'for-' (completely) + 'brecan' (to break). The prefix intensifies the breaking action, suggesting total destruction or shattering into fragments rather than simple breaking.
Old English had this wonderful productivity where 'for-' could be attached to almost any verb—'forbreak,' 'forblow,' 'forbite'—creating new words that described actions taken to their absolute extreme.
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