forestall

About 1.01 uses per million words.

Meaning

1. verb To prevent, delay or hinder something by taking precautionary or anticipatory measures; to avert.

   Fred forestalled disaster by his prompt action.

2. verb To preclude or bar from happening, render impossible.

   In French, an aspired h forestalls elision.

3. verb To purchase the complete supply of a good, particularly foodstuffs, in order to charge a monopoly price.
4. verb To anticipate, to act foreseeingly.
5. verb To deprive (with of).
6. verb To obstruct or stop up, as a road; to stop the passage of a highway; to intercept on the road, as goods on the way to market.
7. noun An ambush; plot; an interception; waylaying; rescue.
8. noun Something situated or placed in front.

Similar words

prevent preclude forbid counter foreclose anticipate foresee avert prevention preventive

Often followed by

the any a this such an it or them further

Word family

forestalled forestaller forestallers forestalling forestallment forestallments forestalls