Preempt vs Forestall - What's the difference?
preempt | forestall |
to appropriate something (before someone else does)
to displace something, or take precedence over something
(bridge) to make a preemptive bid at bridge
(obsolete, or, historical) An ambush; plot; an interception; waylaying; rescue.
Something situated or placed in front.
To prevent, delay or hinder something by taking precautionary or anticipatory measures; to avert.
To preclude or bar from happening, render impossible.
(archaic) To purchase the complete supply of a good, particularly foodstuffs, in order to charge a monopoly price.
To anticipate, to act foreseeingly.
* Milton
* 1919 ,
To deprive (with of ).
* Shakespeare
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.
In transitive terms the difference between preempt and forestall
is that preempt is to displace something, or take precedence over something while forestall is to preclude or bar from happening, render impossible.As a noun forestall is
an ambush; plot; an interception; waylaying; rescue.preempt
English
Alternative forms
* pre-empt *Verb
(en verb)Derived terms
* preemptive * preemptor * preemptoryAnagrams
* English words with vowel pseudo-digraphsforestall
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl) forstal, from (etyl) .Alternative forms
* (l), (l), (l)Noun
(en noun)Etymology 2
From (etyl) .Verb
(en verb)- Fred forestalled disaster by his prompt action.
- In French, an aspired h forestalls elision.
- What need a man forestall his date of grief, / And run to meet what he would most avoid?
- She insisted on doing her share of the offices needful to the sick. She arranged his bed so that it was possible to change the sheet without disturbing him. She washed him. She did not speak to him much, but she was quick to forestall his wants.
- All the better; may / This night forestall him of the coming day!