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   forestall

   /fɔːˈstɔːl/

   verb

   • 1. prevent or obstruct (an anticipated event or action) by taking advance action: "they will present their resignations to forestall a vote of no confidence"
   • ▪ act in advance of (someone) in order to prevent them from doing something: "he would have spoken but David forestalled him"
   • ▪ buy up (goods) in order to profit by an enhanced price.

   Word Origin Old Englishforesteall ‘an ambush’ (see fore- and stall). As a verb the earliest sense (Middle English) was ‘intercept and buy up goods before they reach the market, so as to raise the price’ (formerly an offence).

   Derivatives

   • 1. forestaller noun
   • 2. forestalment noun

   Scrabble Points: 12

   • F

     4

   • O

     1

   • R

     1

   • E

     1

   • S

     1

   • T

     1

   • A

     1

   • L

     1

   • L

     1

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