— precludable , adj. — preclusion /pri klooh"zheuhn/ , n. — preclusive /pri klooh"siv/ , adj. — preclusively , adv.
/pri kloohd"/ , v.t., precluded, precluding .
1. to prevent the presence, existence, or occurrence of; make impossible: The insufficiency of the evidence precludes a conviction.
2. to exclude or debar from something: His physical disability precludes an athletic career for him.
[ 1610-20; praecludere to shut off, close, equiv. to prae- PRE- + -cludere, comb. form of claudere to shut, CLOSE ]
Syn. 1. forestall; eliminate.