From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishforecastfore‧cast1 /ˈfɔːkɑːst $ ˈfɔːrkæst/ ●●○ noun [countable] PREDICTa description of what is likely to happen in the future, based on the information that you have now → prediction The weather forecast is good for tomorrow.profit/sales/growth forecast the company’s annual sales forecastCOLLOCATIONSADJECTIVES/NOUN + forecasta weather forecastThe weather forecast for the weekend is fine and dry.a shipping forecast (=a forecast about weather conditions at sea)According to the shipping forecast, strong winds can be expected later today.a sales forecastThe gloomy sales forecast sparked rumours that the company would be making job cuts.a profit forecastThe company has cut its profit forecast by £18m to £570m.a growth forecast (=one relating to an increase in the value of goods or services produced and sold)The official growth forecasts for the economy are promising.an economic forecastThe Bank of England revised its economic forecast in the wake of the figures.a detailed forecastA detailed forecast of the industry’s prospects has just been published.optimistic (=expecting good things to happen)In his speech, the president gave an optimistic forecast for the economy.pessimistic/gloomy (=expecting bad things to happen)Scientists have produced a gloomy forecast on the effects of global warming.verbsmake a forecastIt is too early to make a forecast on what will happen.give a forecastEconomists gave an upbeat forecast for the world economy.provide a forecastAnalysts usually provide growth forecasts for no more than two years ahead. revise a forecast (=change it because of new information)The company has revised its sales forecast.
Examples from the Corpus
forecast• You want a forecast for the series?• It is impossible to give an accurate forecast of company sales 10 years from now.• Each warned after the stock market closed on Friday that profits will fall below analysts' forecasts.• Food giant Hillsdown Holdings added 8p to 130p after a maintained dividend forecast and boardroom shake-up.• But in recent years concern has been growing that economic forecasts are not up to the mark.• Apex Corp. has issued its annual sales forecast.• These forecasts will be based on information on the number of children in a school augmented by headteachers' estimates.• According to the weather forecast, it's going to stay hot for the rest of the week.• the weather forecastprofit/sales/growth forecast• Some analysts pared their Christmas growth forecasts to 10 % to 15 % from 25 % to 30 %.• You can also conduct profit forecasts, identify profitable work and problem areas.• Olivetti shares have tumbled 15 percent since last week as analysts downgraded profit forecasts.• James Capel has, it appears, lopped £25m from its profit forecast and now expects £165m.• Arthuis made no precise growth forecast.• The only other question I have is about the regional sales forecasts.• Shareholders get nothing more than a bald one-year profit forecast.forecastforecast2 ●●○ verb (past tense and past participle forecast or forecasted) [transitive] PREDICTto make a statement saying what is likely to happen in the future, based on the information that you have now SYN predict Rain was forecast for the weekend.forecast (that) The Federal Reserve Bank forecasts that the economy will grow by 2% this year.► see thesaurus at predict→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
forecast• Property analysts forecast a fall in house prices.• Rain is forecast for all parts of southern England tomorrow.• Wind and rain has been forecast for this weekend.• The company forecast further growth in 1996.• Then on Wednesday night he forecast that interest rates would drop - fuelling the City boom.• Hardly anyone had forecast that the drought would last so long.• Analyzing the past, forecasting the future.• The fixed interest rate means you know exactly your commitment each month, which saves problems with forecasting your cashflow.forecast (that)• This market was extremely competitive and sales volumes were difficult to forecast accurately.• In 1998, construction is forecast at $ 37. 23 billion, up 8 percent from 1997.• Earnings fell shy of forecasts because of slower demand from customers that make personal computers.• The Congressional Budget Office, an independent adviser to Congress, had recently forecast growth of around 2.6 percent per year.• City analysts are forecasting that its contribution could be as much as £80m for the full year.• The Federal Reserve Bank forecast that the economy will grow by 2% this year.• Maybe even shape up mental images that guess what might happen next, forecast the future.• Heads of departments can forecast their purchase requirements and plan the labour and holiday rotas.From Longman Business Dictionaryforecastfore‧cast1 /ˈfɔːkɑːstˈfɔːrkæst/ noun [countable]ECONOMICS a description of what is likely to happen in the future, based on information that is available nowThe figures for 2001 are forecasts, the others are actuals.a gloomy sales forecasta cash-flow forecastEconomic forecasts are widely used by policy makers.It is too early to make forecasts about demand.He has cut his full-year profit forecast from £235 million to £220 million.forecast ofan inflation forecast of 3.5%The IMF had reduced its forecasts of economic growth among the world’s largest industrialized nations.forecastforecast2 verb (past tense and past participle forecast or forecasted) [transitive]ECONOMICS to make a statement saying what is likely to happen in the future, based on information that is available nowTurnover is forecast to grow 6.7% this year.This year we forecast growth of 30%.forecast thatThe bank’s chief economist has forecast that interest rates will fall within two months.forecast something at somethingGDP growth was forecast at 1%. —forecasting noun [uncountable]Economic forecasting is not an exact science. —forecaster noun [countable]The upturn in sales was double the increase the economic forecasters had been expecting.→ See Verb tableOrigin forecast2 (1400-1500) fore- + → CAST1 “to arrange cleverly” ((14-19 centuries)) 