forestall

1. (transitive) To prevent, delay or hinder something by taking precautionary or anticipatory measures; to avert.Examples: "Fred forestalled disaster by his prompt action."transitive

2. (transitive) To preclude or bar from happening, render impossible.Examples: "In French, an aspired h forestalls elision."transitive

3. (archaic) To purchase the complete supply of a good, particularly foodstuffs, in order to charge a monopoly price.archaic

4. (UK, 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.UK