English Reference
verb · noun

forge

v. · n.
US /ˈfɔɹdʒ/ UK /fˈɔːdʒ/ forge UK spelling forges

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    v.to create something strong or lasting, like a friendship or a deal, through hard work.

    v.to form or create something through concerted effort, often used for relationships, alliances, or agreements.

    Simple

    The two countries worked hard to forge a new peace treaty after years of conflict.

    In context

    After months of intense negotiations, the two tech giants managed to forge a strategic alliance that redefined the market landscape.

  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate Law

    v.to make an illegal copy of something, like a signature or money, to trick people.

    v.to produce a fraudulent copy or imitation of a document, signature, or banknote with the intent to deceive.

    Simple

    He was arrested after he tried to forge his manager's signature on a check.

    In context

    The criminal syndicate was found to have forged thousands of passports using sophisticated printing equipment stolen from a government facility.

  3. 03 C1 Advanced Technical

    v.to heat metal until it is soft and then hit it with a hammer to change its shape.

    v.to shape metal by heating it in a fire and hammering or pressing it into a desired form.

    Simple

    The blacksmith used a heavy hammer to forge the glowing iron into a horseshoe.

    In context

    The master craftsman continued to forge the blade using traditional methods, ensuring the steel reached the precise temperature required for durability.

  4. 04 B2 Upper Intermediate

    n.a place where metal is heated and shaped by a blacksmith.

    n.a furnace or workshop where metals are heated and shaped by hammering.

    Simple

    The heat inside the forge was intense as the workers prepared the steel.

    In context

    The historical museum features a working forge where visitors can watch a blacksmith demonstrate nineteenth-century ironworking techniques.

    smithyworkshop
  5. 05 C1 Advanced Technical Computing

    n.a website or system where many people work together to write and share computer code.

    n.a web-based collaborative platform for hosting, developing, and sharing software projects.

    Simple

    The developers uploaded their new project to the community forge for others to test.

    In context

    By hosting the source code on a public forge, the organization encouraged global contributions and transparent peer reviews.

Research agreements like these are not easy to forge, says Errington.

Smithsonian Magazine· 17 Aug 2026

Argos's new owners have ruled out deals with rival supermarkets, but they do plan to forge other "partnerships" and open new standalone stores.

BBC News· 6 Aug 2026

Etymology 1

From Middle English forge, from Old French forge, early Old French faverge, from Latin fabrica (“workshop”), from faber (“workman in hard materials, smith”) (genitive fabri). Cognate with Franco-Provençal favèrge. Doublet of fabric and fabrica. Computing sense perhaps derived from the early SourceForge service, launched in 1999.

Etymology 2

From Middle English forgen, from Anglo-Norman forger and Old French forgier, from Latin fabrico (“to frame, construct, build”). Doublet of fabricate.

Etymology 3

Make way, move ahead, most likely an alteration of force, but perhaps from forge (n.), via notion of steady hammering at something. Originally nautical, in reference to vessels.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin fabrica
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Frequent
Updated