The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Forerun \Fore*run"\, v. t.
   1. To turn before; to precede; to be in advance of (something
      following).
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To come before as an earnest of something to follow; to
      introduce as a harbinger; to announce.
      [1913 Webster]

            These signs forerun the death or fall of kings.
                                                  --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

38 Moby Thesaurus words for "forerun":
   announce, antecede, antedate, anticipate, be before, be early,
   blaze the trail, break the trail, come before, foreglimpse,
   foresee, foreshow, forestall, foretaste, get ahead of, give notice,
   go before, go off half-cocked, guide, harbinger, herald, introduce,
   jump the gun, lead, notify, pace, pioneer, preannounce, precede,
   precurse, predate, preexist, preindicate, presage, proclaim,
   run before, usher in, win the start