Hypertext Webster Gateway: "forestall"

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

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., a placing one's self before another. See
{Fore}, and {Stall}.]
1. To take beforehand, or in advance; to anticipate.

What need a man forestall his date of grief, And run
to meet what he would most avoid? --Milton.

2. To take possession of, in advance of some one or something
else, to the exclusion or detriment of the latter; to get
ahead of; to preoccupy; also, to exclude, hinder, or
prevent, by prior occupation, or by measures taken in
advance.

From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)

forestall
v 1: keep from happening of arising; have the effect of
preventing; "My sense of tact forbids an honest answer"
[syn: {prevent}, {foreclose}, {preclude}, {forbid}]
2: act in advance of; deal with ahead of time [syn: {anticipate},
{foresee}, {counter}]


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