From WordNet (r) 2.0 (August 2003) [wn]:
forefront
n 1: the part in the front or nearest the viewer; "he was in the
forefront"; "he was at the head of the column" [syn:
head]
2: the position of greatest advancement; the leading position
in any movement or field [syn: vanguard, cutting edge]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Forefront \Fore"front`\, n.
Foremost part or place.
[1913 Webster]
Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle.
--2 Sam. xi.
15.
[1913 Webster]
Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, standing in the forefront
for all time, the masters of those who know. --J. C.
Shairp.
[1913 Webster]