Voorzagen

Voorzagen is a Dutch term that can refer to two distinct concepts depending on context. In older or literary Dutch, voorzagen is the past tense form of the verb voorzagen, meaning to foresee or anticipate an event or outcome. This sense appears in historical documents and formal prose, though in contemporary standard Dutch it is largely replaced by voorspellen or voorspellen. For example, a sentence might describe someone as having foreseen a development or consequence; modern equivalents are more commonly used in everyday language.

In woodworking and carpentry, voorzagen denotes a practical technique: making preliminary or guiding cuts before the final cut. This involves marking, shallow grooves, or small waste cuts to set alignment for joints such as mortise-and-tenon or dovetail work. The aim is to define the cut path and prevent errors during subsequent, more precise operations. The technique is typical in handcraft traditions and is usually performed with fine saws, knives, or chisels.

Etymology and usage: the dual meaning reflects the prefix voor- (“before”) combined with a verb related to seeing or cutting, but the two senses have developed independently in language and craft. In modern Dutch, the forecasting sense is uncommon outside historical or literary contexts, while the woodworking sense remains a practical term among cabinetmakers and woodworkers.

See also: voorspel, voorspellen, mortise and tenon joinery, marking and cutting techniques.