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.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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