forhew

English

Etymology

From Old English forhēawan, corresponding to for- +‎ hew.

Verb

forhew (third-person singular simple present forhews, present participle forhewing, simple past forhewed, past participle forhewed or forhewn)

1. (obsolete) To cut to pieces.
   • 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, “xij”, in Le Morte Darthur, book VII:

     And Beaumayns sawe hym and made hym redy / & ther they mette […] and put their sheldes afore them / & drewe their swerdes / and gaf many grete strokes that somtyme they hurtled to gyder that they felle grouelyng on the ground Thus they fought two houres and more that their sheldes & theyr hauberkes were al forhewen / & in many stedys they were wounded

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)