forestall: Meaning and Definition of

fore•stall

Pronunciation: (fōr-stôl', fôr-), [key]
— v.t.
  1. to prevent, hinder, or thwart by action in advance: to forestall a riot by deploying police.
  2. to act beforehand with or get ahead of; anticipate.
  3. to buy up (goods) in advance in order to increase the price when resold.
  4. to prevent sales at (a fair, market, etc.) by buying up or diverting goods.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
See also: