FORESTALL

transitive verb Etymology: Middle English, from forstall act of waylaying, from Old English foresteall, from fore- + steall position, stall Date: before 12th century to prevent the normal trading in by buying or diverting goods or by persuading persons to raise prices, intercept , obstruct , beset , to exclude, hinder, or prevent by prior occupation or measures, to get ahead of ; anticipate , see: prevent ~er noun ~ment noun