In a direction ahead or toward the front; onward in time or progress. Also used as a verb meaning to send something on to another destination.
From Old English 'foreweard' meaning toward the front, from 'fore' (before) + 'weard' (ward, direction). The 's' was added to create the adverbial form, following the pattern of other directional words.
While 'forward' and 'forwards' are often interchangeable as adverbs, 'forward' is preferred in American English and 'forwards' in British English. The word's connection to time (moving forwards) shows how we conceptualize progress as spatial movement.
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