\For*lorn"\, a. [OE., p. p. of forlesen to lose utterly,
AS. forle['o]san (p. p. forloren); pref. for- + le['o]san (in
comp.) to lose; cf. D. verliezen to lose, G. verlieren, Sw.
f["o]rlora, Dan. forloren, Goth. fraliusan to lose. See
{For-}, and {Lorn}, a., {Lose}, v. t.]
1. Deserted; abandoned; lost.
         Of fortune and of hope at once forlorn. --Spenser.
         Some say that ravens foster forlorn children.
                                               --Shak.
2. Destitute; helpless; in pitiful plight; wretched;
   miserable; almost hopeless; desperate.
         For here forlorn and lost I tread.    --Goldsmith.
         The condition of the besieged in the mean time was
         forlorn in the extreme.               --Prescott.
         She cherished the forlorn hope that he was still
         living.                               --Thomson.
{A forlorn hope} [D. verloren hoop, prop., a lost band or
   troop; verloren, p. p. of verliezen to lose + hoop band;
   akin to E. heap. See {For-}, and {Heap}.] (Mil.), a body
   of men (called in F. enfants perdus, in G. verlornen
   posten) selected, usually from volunteers, to attempt a
   breach, scale the wall of a fortress, or perform other
   extraordinarily perilous service; also, a desperate case
   or enterprise.
Syn: Destitute, lost; abandoned; forsaken; solitary;
     helpless; friendless; hopeless; abject; wretched;
     miserable; pitiable.

\For*lorn"\, n.
1. A lost, forsaken, or solitary person.
         Forced to live in Scotland a forlorn. --Shak.
2. A forlorn hope; a vanguard. [Obs.]
         Our forlorn of horse marched within a mile of the
         enemy.                                --Oliver
                                               Cromvell.