• (RP) IPA: /fɔːd͡ʒ/
• (America) IPA: /fɔɹd͡ʒ/
• (rhotic, horse-hoarse) IPA: /fo(ː)ɹd͡ʒ/
• (nonrhotic, horse-hoarse) IPA: /foəd͡ʒ/

forge (plural forges)

1. Furnace or hearth where metals are heated prior to hammering them into shape.
2. Workshop in which metals are shaped by heating and hammering them.
3. The act of beating or working iron or steel.
   • 1626, Francis Bacon, Sylva Sylvarum, Or, A Naturall Historie: In Ten Centuries

     In the greater bodies the forge was easy.

• French: forge
• German: Schmiedeofen
• Italian: forgia
• Portuguese: frágua
• Russian: горн
• Spanish: fragua, forja

• French: forge
• German: Schmiede
• Italian: fucina
• Portuguese: forja
• Russian: ку́зница
• Spanish: fragua, forja

forge (forges, present participle forging; past and past participle forged)

1. (metallurgy) To shape a metal by heating and hammering.

   • On Mars's armor forged for proof eterne

   • 1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter II, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], OCLC 752825175 ↗:

     Orion hit a rabbit once; but though sore wounded it got to the bury, and, struggling in, the arrow caught the side of the hole and was drawn out. […]. Ikey the blacksmith had forged us a spearhead after a sketch from a picture of a Greek warrior; and a rake-handle served as a shaft.

2. To form or create with concerted effort.

   The politician's recent actions are an effort to forge a relationship with undecided voters.

   • 1689 (indicated as 1690)​, [John Locke], An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. […], London: […] Thomas Basset, […], OCLC 153628242 ↗:

     Those names that the schools forged, and put into the mouth of scholars, could never get admittance into common use.

   • ?, Alfred Tennyson, Geraint and Enid

     […] do forge a life-long trouble for ourselves.

3. To create a forgery of; to make a counterfeit item of; to copy or imitate unlawfully.

   He had to forge his ex-wife's signature.  The jury learned the documents had been forged.

4. To make falsely; to produce, as that which is untrue or not genuine; to fabricate.
   • 1663, Samuel Butler (poet), Hudibras

     That paltry story is untrue, / And forged to cheat such gulls as you.

• French: forger
• German: schmieden
• Portuguese: forjar
• Russian: кова́ть
• Spanish: forjar

• French: falsifier, contrefaire
• German: fälschen
• Portuguese: forjar
• Russian: подде́лывать
• Spanish: falsificar

forge (forges, present participle forging; past and past participle forged)

1. (often as forge ahead) To move forward heavily and slowly (originally as a ship); to advance gradually but steadily; to proceed towards a goal in the face of resistance or difficulty.

   The party of explorers forged through the thick underbrush.

   We decided to forge ahead with our plans even though our biggest underwriter backed out.

   • And off she [a ship] forged without a shock.

2. (sometimes as forge ahead) To advance, move or act with an abrupt increase in speed or energy.

   With seconds left in the race, the runner forged into first place.