forestall

• POS: Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: fore=stall

CIDE DICTIONARY

forestall, v. t. [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.].

•  To take beforehand, or in advance; to anticipate.  [1913 Webster]

  "What need a man forestall his date of grief,
  And run to meet what he would most avoid?"  [1913 Webster]
•  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.  [1913 Webster]

  "An ugly serpent which forestalled their way."  [1913 Webster]

  "But evermore those damsels did forestall
  Their furious encounter."  [1913 Webster]

  "To be forestalled ere we come to fall."  [1913 Webster]

  "Habit is a forestalled and obstinate judge."  [1913 Webster]
•  To deprive; -- with of.  [1913 Webster]

  "All the better; may
  This night forestall him of the coming day!"  [1913 Webster]
•  To obstruct or stop up, as a way; to stop the passage of on highway; to intercept on the road, as goods on the way to market.  [1913 Webster]

To forestall the market, to buy or contract for merchandise or provision on its way to market, with the intention of selling it again at a higher price; to dissuade persons from bringing their goods or provisions there; or to persuade them to enhance the price when there. This was an offense at law in England until 1844. Burrill.

Syn. -- To anticipate; monopolize; engross.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

forestall, v.tr.
1 act in advance of in order to prevent.
2 anticipate (the action of another, or an event).
3 anticipate the action of.
4 deal with beforehand.
5 hist. buy up (goods) in order to profit by an enhanced price.

Derivative

forestaller n. forestalment n.

Etymology

ME in sense 5: cf. AL forestallare f. OE foresteall an ambush (as FORE-, STALL)

THESAURUS

forestall

anticipate, avert, bamboozle, bar, beguile, betray, bluff, cajole, calculate on, cheat on, circumvent, conjure, corner, count on, debar, deceive, deflect, delay, delude, deter, diddle, discourage, dishearten, double-cross, dupe, engross, estop, exclude, fend, fend off, forbid, foreclose, foreglimpse, forerun, foresee, foretaste, frustrate, gammon, get ahead of, get around, go before, go off half-cocked, gull, help, hinder, hoax, hocus-pocus, hog, hornswaggle, humbug, intercept, juggle, jump the gun, keep from, keep off, let down, look for, look forward to, look out for, look to, mock, monopolize, obstruct, obviate, outmaneuver, outreach, outsmart, outwit, overreach, parry, pigeon, play one false, preclude, prevent, prohibit, put something over, reckon on, repel, rule out, save, snow, stave off, stop, string along, take in, take it all, thwart, tie up, trick, turn aside, two-time, ward, ward off, watch out for, win the start

ROGET THESAURUS

forestall

Possession

VB possess, have, hold, occupy, enjoy, be possessed of, have in hand, own, command, inherit, come to, come in for, engross, monopolize, forestall, regrate, impropriate, have all to oneself, corner, have a firmhold of, get into one's hand, belong to, appertain to, pertain to, be in one's possession, vest in.

Priority

VB precede, come before, forerun, go before, preexist, dawn, presage, herald, usher in, be beforehand, steal a march upon, anticipate, forestall, have the start, gain the start.

Futurity

VB look forwards, anticipate, forestall, come on, draw on, draw near, approach, await, threaten, impend.

Earliness

VB be early, be beforehand, keep time, take time by the forelock, anticipate, forestall, have the start, gain the start, steal a march upon, gain time, draw on futurity, bespeak, secure, engage, preengage, accelerate, expedite, make haste.

Expectation

VB expect, look for, look out for, look forward to, hope for, anticipate, have in prospect, have in contemplation, keep in view, contemplate, promise oneself, not wonder at, not wonder if, wait for, tarry for, lie in wait for, watch for, bargain for, keep a good lookout for, keep a sharp lookout for, await, stand at 'attention' abide, bide one's time, watch, foresee, prepare for, forestall, count upon, think likely, lead one to expect, have in store for, prick up one's ears, hold one's breath.