different between forethought vs watchfulness

English

Etymology

From Middle English forethouht, forethoght, from Old English *foreþ?ht (“forethought”); equivalent to fore- +? thought. See also forethink.

Pronunciation

• (noun) IPA^(key): /?f??(?)???t/
• (adjective, verb) IPA^(key): /f??(?)????t/

Noun

forethought (countable and uncountable, plural forethoughts)

1. Thinking beforehand or in advance, planning; prior or previous consideration; premeditation.

2. Anticipation.
3. Provident care; prudence.

Derived terms

• forethoughtful

Translations

Adjective

forethought (not comparable)

1. Thought of, or planned, beforehand.
   • c. 1613-1621, Francis Bacon, The judicial charge upon the commission of Oyer and Terminer held for the verge of the Court

     Forethought malice.

   Synonyms: aforethought, premeditated

Verb

forethought

1. simple past tense and past participle of forethink

English

Etymology

watchful +? -ness

Noun

watchfulness (countable and uncountable, plural watchfulnesses)

1. The state or quality of being watchful; alertness, vigilance or wakefulness.

   Continuous watchfulness is maintained around the clock.

   • 1665, Robert Hooke, Micrographia, Preface,^[1]

     The first thing to be undertaken in this weighty work, is a watchfulness over the failings and an inlargement of the dominion, of the Senses.

   • 1784, Samuel Johnson, letter addressed to Mr. Langton dated 25 August, 1784, cited in James Boswell, The Life of Samuel Johnson, London: Charles Dilly, 1791, Volume 2, p. 545,^[2]

     Nights of watchfulness produce torpid days […]

   • 1896, H. G. Wells, The Island of Doctor Moreau, New York: Stone & Kimball, Chapter 9, p. 82,^[3]

     Every dark form in the dimness had its ominous quality, its peculiar suggestion of alert watchfulness.

   • 1944, Neville Shute, Pastoral, London: Heinemann, Chapter 4,

     The steady rhythm of the engines, the fact that he had been sleeping badly, the boredom of a flight that he had done so many times before and did not want to do again, the long humiliation and unhappiness that was always in the background of his mind, all fought against his watchfulness.

Related terms

• watchful

Translations