TransWikia.com

Meaning of "for indeed"?

English Language & Usage Asked by Shimmy Weitzhandler on August 13, 2020

Given is the following paragraph (excerpt from The New Freedom, by Woodrow Wilson – 1913):

For indeed, if you stop to think about it, nothing could
be a greater departure from original Americanism, from
faith in the ability of a confident, resourceful, and
independent people, than the discouraging doctrine that
somebody has got to provide prosperity for the rest of us.

What’s the meaning of for indeed at the passage entry?

One Answer

This is, how I see it, a combination of words used outside any commonplace English use. For situations like these, I going back to the basics and look at a dictionary definition of all the words, and attempt to draw a meaning.

(I am using Merriam Webster.)

Here is "for" that could apply:

Used as a function word to indicate purpose.

Used as a function word to indicate an intended goal.

Used as a function word to indicate the object or recipient of a perception, desire, or activity. (It seems as if your quote is leaning toward this meaning.)

These meanings are connected with other expressions like "for certain," "for sure," "for [purpose]."

Here is "indeed" that could apply:

All things considered[;] as a matter of fact.

When we read Woodrow's lines, we see that he is attempting to draw attention to some conclusion when one thinks "about it", which is a similar premise to "consider[ing]," as in the definition.

For extra consideration, I looked up other uses of "for indeed"; I found this Bible quote (the first) of Luke 1:66, and I also found this quote (the second) from the Quran (94:5):

"For indeed, the hands of the lord was on him."

"For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease."

The use of "indeed" here seems to differ in an interpretive meaning from Woodrow's quote, but the basic idea we can get is this:

For: To identify the object/recipient of a view (here it is "indeed").

Indeed: As a matter of fact; everything considered.

This can define the construction "for indeed" possibly as "For a matter of fact," as "indeed" (used to show certainty) is connected to "for" (which identifies a purpose).

To connect this to your quote, Woodrow is saying that if one stops and thinks, they can realize some truth about the current situation; since "indeed" is commonly used to indicate some obvious truth, the addition of "for" adds a nuance of purpose/receiving action.

(I see I explained this in a very interpretive and convoluted way (I did not even consider the fact that "indeed" is an adverb), so by all means if someone is able to provide a more direct and concrete answer. I hope that this still can help you form some type of idea.)

EDIT: Jim's comment goes through a much more simpler reasoning: It is simply reinforcing the statement, like what "yea," "forsooth," or "indeed" alone would do.

Correct answer by BigRigz on August 13, 2020

Add your own answers!

Ask a Question

Get help from others!

© 2024 TransWikia.com. All rights reserved. Sites we Love: PCI Database, UKBizDB, Menu Kuliner, Sharing RPP