Where does “forelay” come from?

forelay (English) comes from English lay, from English Lee, from Irish Laoi, from Middle Irish láed, from English loid, from English celluloid, from English -oid, from Latin -oides — watcher, lookout; protector, guardian; spy, scout.

forelay (English): To lay down beforehand; To waylay; To plan;...

Definitions

  1. To lay down beforehand; To waylay; To plan;...

Ancestry of “forelay”, step by step

forelay traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English lay

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishlayTo place down in a position of rest, or in a...
2EnglishLeefor someone who lived near a meadow (the Anglo-Saxon for meadow being ley or leag)
3IrishLaoilay, song
4Middle Irishláed
5EnglishloidA lock-picking tool made from a piece of...
6EnglishcelluloidAny of a variety of thermoplastics created from...
7English-oidOf similar form to, but not the same as. Having...
8Latin-oides-like, -form
9Greek-οending for accusative singular forms (eg δρόμος, ψήφος); and some vocative singular forms
10Ancient GreekεἶδοςThat which is seen: form, image, shape;...
11Spanish-scopio-scope
12Latin-scopium
13Ancient GreekσκοπέωI look, look at, behold; I examine, inspect; 413...
14Ancient Greekσκοπόςwatcher, lookout; protector, guardian; spy, scout

via English Fore

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishForeA people of Papua New Guinea
2GermanFahr
3GermanFähreferry
4Middle High Germanverren
5Old High Germanferranafrom afar
6Old High Germanferroafar; skipper
7Proto-West Germanic*ferrō
8Proto-Germanicferraifar, distant
9Proto-Indo-Europeanper-nóy
10Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
11Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed
Every word from Ancient Greek σκοπός