To condemn or judge someone as guilty before examining the evidence or hearing their side of the story.
Combines 'fore-' (before) with 'condemn' from Latin 'condemnare' (com- 'together' + damnare 'to harm, condemn'). Used historically in legal and moral philosophy contexts.
The idea of 'forecondemn' was particularly important during the Enlightenment when philosophers argued against prejudging people—it's the root of the legal principle that everyone deserves a fair trial before judgment.
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