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Added 9 October 2026

forestall

/fɔː(ɹ)ˈstɔːl/ verb

verb Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about forestall at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Keep from happening or arising; make impossible.
My sense of tact forbids an honest answer
Act in advance of; deal with ahead of time.

Origin

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.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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