1. The act of providing vague advance indications; representing beforehand
   "The author's foreshadowing in the early chapters hinted at the tragic ending";
   - prefiguration, adumbration

1. Indistinctly prophetic
   "The foreshadowing passages in the ancient text hinted at future events";
   - adumbrative, prefigurative

1. Be a sign of something to come, esp. something important or bad
   "These signs foreshadow bad news";
   - bode, portend, auspicate, prognosticate, omen, presage, betoken [archaic], augur, foretell, prefigure, forecast, predict, foretoken

Derived forms: foreshadowings

See also: prophetic, prophetical

Type of: anticipation, bespeak, betoken [archaic], indicate, point, prediction, prevision, signal

Encyclopedia: Foreshadowing