1. prevent or obstruct (an anticipated event or action) by taking action ahead of time: "vitamins may forestall many diseases of aging"
▪ act in advance of (someone) in order to prevent them from doing something: "she started to rise, but Erica forestalled her and got the telephone"
▪ buy up (goods) in order to profit by an enhanced price.
Word OriginOld Englishforesteall ‘an ambush’ (see fore- and stall). As a verb the earliest sense (Middle English) was ‘intercept and buy up goods before they reach the market, so as to raise the price’ (formerly an offense).