Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Forehand, as in tennis.
  • adjective Looking or planning ahead; circumspect.
  • adjective Having ample financial resources; well-off.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Early; timely; seasonable: as, forehanded provision.
  • Formed in the forehand or fore parts.
  • Well circumstanced as regards property and financial condition generally: as, a forehanded farmer.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Early; timely; seasonable.
  • adjective U.S. Beforehand with one's needs, or having resources in advance of one's necessities; in easy circumstances.
  • adjective Formed in the forehand or fore parts.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Looking to the future; displaying foresight; prudent.
  • adjective sports, not comparable Played with a forehand stroke.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective (of racket strokes) made with palm facing direction of stroke
  • adjective having provided for the future

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From forehand +‎ -ed.

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Examples

  • But to tell the truth, I never was a very forward old fellow, nor what my farming neighbors call a forehanded one.

    I and My Chimney 1856

  • But to tell the truth, I never was a very forward old fellow, nor what my farming neighbors call a forehanded one.

    I and My Chimney Herman Melville 1855

  • The summer waned; the cows were turned into the shack, and the most "forehanded" among us began to cut boughs for banking up the house, and set afoot other preparations for winter's cold.

    Meadow Grass Tales of New England Life Alice Brown 1902

  • "'T won't burn up any faster for being chopped," Friend Barton said; and then his wife Rachel knew that if he had a reason for being "forehanded" with the wood, he was not ready to give it.

    In Exile and Other Stories Mary Hallock Foote 1892

  • Toby was said to be the most thrifty and "forehanded" darkey in the settlement.

    True To His Colors Harry Castlemon 1878

  • Hale, merry fellows they were -- a little more red of face and loud of talk than was quite seemly in a stranger's eyes, but industrious and "forehanded," and kind of heart to parents, wives and babies.

    The Secret of a Happy Home (1896) Marion Harland 1876

  • Her husband was energetic and "forehanded," and without the slightest approach to intentional cruelty, looked to his wife to "keep up her end of the log."

    The Secret of a Happy Home (1896) Marion Harland 1876

  • "forehanded" than Marsdenites in general, had neglected to provide one for herself.

    The Brass Bound Box Evelyn Raymond 1876

  • "forehanded" with the wood, he was not ready to give it.

    Stories by American Authors (Volume 4) Nathaniel Parker Willis 1875

  • 'Sence you're so blamed forehanded about it, no; I'd b'lieve nature first, and facts.'

    The Men of Forty Mile 2010

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