forestall

From Middle English forestallen (“to forestall, intercept, ambush, way-lay”), from forestalle (“a forestalling, interception”), from Old English foresteall (“intervention, hindrance of justice, ambush”), from fore- (“ahead of, before”) + steall (“position”), equivalent to fore- +‎ stall.

• IPA^(key): /fɔː(ɹ)ˈstɔːl/
• Rhymes: -ɔːl

forestall (third-person singular simple present forestalls, present participle forestalling, simple past and past participle forestalled)

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

   Fred forestalled disaster by his prompt action.

2. (transitive) To preclude or bar from happening, render impossible.

   In French, an aspired h forestalls elision.

3. (archaic) To purchase the complete supply of a good, particularly foodstuffs, in order to charge a monopoly price.
4. To anticipate, to act foreseeingly.
   • Milton

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

   • 1919, W. Somerset Maugham, The Moon and Sixpence, chapter 26

     She insisted on doing her share of the offices needful to the sick. She arranged his bed so that it was possible to change the sheet without disturbing him. She washed him. […] She did not speak to him much, but she was quick to forestall his wants.

5. To deprive (with of).
   • Shakespeare

     All the better; may / This night forestall him of the coming day!

6. (Britain, law) 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.

• See also Thesaurus:hinder

• forestaller
• forestalment
• forestallment

From Middle English forstal, from Old English foresteall (“an intervention, hindrance (of justice), ambush, assault, offence of waylaying on the highway, fine for such an offence, resistance, opposition”), equivalent to fore- +‎ stall.

• foresteal, forsteal, forestal

• IPA^(key): /ˈfɔː(ɹ).stɔːl/

forestall (plural forestalls)

1. (obsolete or historical) An ambush; plot; an interception; waylaying; rescue.
2. Something situated or placed in front.

• fellators