forestall
- forestall
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/fohr stawl", fawr-/, v.t.
1. to prevent, hinder, or thwart by action in advance: to forestall a riot by deploying police.
2. to act beforehand with or get ahead of; anticipate.
3. to buy up (
goods) in advance in order to increase the price when resold.
4. to prevent sales at (a fair,
market, etc.) by buying up or diverting goods.
[1350-1400; ME forstallen, v. deriv. of forstalle, OE foresteall intervention (to defeat justice), waylaying. See FORE-, STALL2]
Syn. 1. preclude, obviate, intercept, obstruct.
2. prevent, avert.
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Universalium.
2010.
Synonyms:
Look at other dictionaries:
Forestall — Fore*stall , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Forestalled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Forestalling}.] [OE. forstallen to stop, to obstruct; to stop (goods) on the way to the market by buying them beforehand, from forstal obstruction, AS. forsteal, foresteall, prop.,… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
forestall — I verb act in advance, antevertere, anticipate, arrest, avert, avoid, await, be armed, be forewarned, bring to a standstill, cancel, censor, check, counteract, deter, disallow, enjoin, estop, filibuster, forbid, forfend, frustrate, halt, hinder,… … Law dictionary
forestall — (v.) late 14c. (implied in forestalling), to lie in wait for; also to intercept goods before they reach public markets and buy them privately (formerly a crime; mid 14c. in this sense in Anglo French), from O.E. noun foresteall intervention,… … Etymology dictionary
forestall — *prevent, anticipate Analogous words: ward, avert, *prevent, preclude, obviate: *frustrate, thwart, foil, circumvent Contrasted words: court, woo, *invite: further, forward, *advance, promote … New Dictionary of Synonyms
forestall — ► VERB 1) prevent or obstruct (something anticipated) by taking advance action. 2) anticipate and prevent the action of. DERIVATIVES forestaller noun forestalment noun. ORIGIN from Old English, «an ambush» … English terms dictionary
forestall — [fôr stôl′] vt. [ME forestallen < forestal, ambush < OE foresteall: see FORE & STALL2] 1. to prevent or hinder by doing something ahead of time 2. to act in advance of; get ahead of; anticipate 3. to interfere with the trading in (a market) … English World dictionary
forestall — UK [fɔː(r)ˈstɔːl] / US [fɔrˈstɔl] verb [transitive] Word forms forestall : present tense I/you/we/they forestall he/she/it forestalls present participle forestalling past tense forestalled past participle forestalled to prevent something from… … English dictionary
forestall — [[t]fɔː(r)stɔ͟ːl[/t]] forestalls, forestalling, forestalled VERB If you forestall someone, you realize what they are likely to do and prevent them from doing it. [V n] O Leary made to open the door, but Bunbury forestalled him by laying a hand on … English dictionary
forestall — verb Forestall is used with these nouns as the object: ↑criticism … Collocations dictionary
forestall — fore|stall [fo:ˈsto:l US fo:rˈsto:l] v [T] formal [: Old English; Origin: foresteallan to put in front, ambush ] to prevent something from happening or prevent someone from doing something by doing something first ▪ a measure intended to… … Dictionary of contemporary English