▪ I. forestall, n.
(ˈfɔəstɔːl)
Forms: 1 for(e)steal(l, 2–9 forstal(l, 7 foristell, 8 forestal, 6– forestall. In sense 2 also 7–9 fostal.
[In sense 1, OE. for-, foresteall, f. fore- prefix + steall, stall, app. used in the sense of ‘position taken up’; for sense cf. the vbs. forelay, forset. In sense 2 f. fore- prefix + stall.]
† 1. In OE.; an ambush, plot; an intercepting, waylaying, rescue. Hence in Law, the offence of waylaying or ‘intercepting in the highway’; also, the jurisdiction in respect of this offence, often enumerated amongst feudal rights. Obs.
Cf. Laws Hen. I, §4, Forestel est, si quis ex transverso incurrat, vel in via expectet et assaliat inimicum suum. Also Concilium Culintonense, Laws of Edmund (Schmid) 181, Et dictum est de investigetione et quæstione pecoris furati, ut ad villam investigetur, et non sit foristeallum aliquod illi vel aliqua prohibitio itineris vel quæstionis.
| c 1000 ælfric Hom. II. 242 Ða Iudeiscan ealdras..smeadon hu hi Hælend Crist acwellan mihton; ondredon him swa-ðeah þæs folces foresteall. c 1000 Laws of æthelred v. §31 (Schmid), Gif hwa forsteal oððon openne wiðer⁓cwyde onᵹean lah-riht Cristes oððe cyninges ahwar ᵹewyrce. c 1155 Charter Hen. II in Anglia VII. 220 Grithbriches & hamsocne & forstalles, & infangenes thiafes. c 1250 Gloss. Law Terms in Rel. Ant. I. 33 Forstal, ki autri force desturbe. 1610 Holland Camden's Brit. ii. 75 Who granted unto them all Regall liberties except foure Pleas, namely of Burning, Rape, Forstall and Treasure Trove. Ibid. i. 350 Quite and quiet from all custome, beside for Robbery, peace-breach, and Foristell. |
2. Something situated or placed in front. † a. ? gen. Obs.— 1
| 1556 J. Heywood Spider & Fl. lxv. 83 Without trenching or such defensife forstalles, Ordnance they ley, to batter that castell walles. |
† b. The front part (of a cart). Obs.
| 1598 Hakluyt Voy. I. 95 The house was vpon the carte..A fellow stood in the doore of the house, vpon the forestall of the carte driuing forth the oxen. |
c. The space in front of a farm-house, or the approach to it from the road. dial. only.
| 1661 Aylesford Par. Reg. in N. & Q. Ser. viii. V. 244 Henry Gorham and John Allen..going into y⊇ River at Jerman's fforstall to wash themselves..were both drowned. 1674 Ray S.C. Words, A Fostal forte Forestal: A way leading from the high way to a great House. 1736 Pegge Kenticisms (E.D.S.), Forstal..a green place before an house; but otherwise I have known that part of a farmer's yard lying just before the door call'd the forstal. 1836 Cooper Sussex Gloss., Fostal [corruption of Forestall], a paddock near a farm-house or a way leading thereto. |
3. A (horse's) frontlet. Cf. headstall.
| 1519 W. Horman Vulg. 170 b, The forstall [frontalia] is full of gylte bollyons. 1880 L. Wallace Ben-Hur 117 A bridle with a forestall of gold. |
4. In the writings of Gerard Manley Hopkins (see quots.).
| c 1883 G. M. Hopkins Sermons (1959) ii. iii. 150 The..act (of consenting to grace) is really necessary... But if after this we are left to ourselves for a leisurely and deliberate avowal or disavowal of this ‘forestall’ (as I shall call it), [etc.]. Ibid. 155 Remark that prayer understood in this sense, this sigh or aspiration or stirring of the spirit towards God, is a forestall of the thing to be done, as on the other side grace prevenient is God's forestall of the same. |
▪ II. forestall, v.
(fɔəˈstɔːl)
Also 4–6 forstal(l(e, 6–9 forestal.
[ME. f. OE. foresteall: see prec. n. First recorded in the specific sense 2; cf. AF. forstaller, whence the agent-n. forstallour (13th c.).]
† 1. To lie in wait for, intercept, cut off (a person or animal). Obs.
| 1413 Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton) i. xvii. (1859) 18 He hath..greuously pursued in al that he couthe or myght ley for me in a wayte, and forstallyd in weyes. 1570 Levins Manip. 13/18 To Forestall, intercipere. 1674 N. Cox Gentl. Recreat. i. (1677) 52 Which is seldom hunted at force or with Hounds, but onely drawn after with a Bloodhound, and forestall'd with Nets and Engines. 1741 Chambers Cycl., Forestalling is particularly used in Crompton, for stopping a deer broken out of the forest, and preventing its return home again. |
† b. To intercept and appropriate (a living, a revenue). Also with away. Obs.
| 1581 Mulcaster Positions xxxvii. (1887) 163 To supplant the learned, and forstaull away their liuinges. 1618 Bolton Florus iii. xvii. (1636) 225 The Gentrie..forestalled the publick revenewes [L. interceptis vectigalibus]. |
2. To intercept (goods, etc.) before they reach the public markets; to buy (them) up privately with a view to enhance the price: in former days an indictable offence. Obs. exc. Hist.
| [1353 Act 27 Edw. III, i. c. 5 Que nul Marchant Engleis nengrosse ne forstalle vins en Gascoigne.] 1467 in Eng. Gilds (1870) 374 That they forstalle no fysshe by the wey. 1567 Drant Horace's Ep. Numitius D j b, Take ship betyme, leste sum forestal, and bye vp all this good. 1592 Greene Upst. Courtier Wks. (Grosart) XI. 283 First I alledge against the Grasier that he forestalleth pasturs and medow grounds, for the feeding of his cattell. |
| absol. 14.. Chalmerlain Ayr i. (Sc. Stat. I.), All þe names of þe furth duelland forstallaris of þe forsaid burgh byand and selland forstalland. 1551 Robinson tr. More's Utop. (Arb.) 44 Suffer not these riche men to bie up al, to ingrosse and forstalle. [See also forestalling vbl. n.] |
| transf. and fig. 1727 Swift Petition of Colliers Wks. 1755 III. i. 129 To confine, forestall, and monopolize the beams of the sun. 1775 Sheridan Rivals ii. i, I am not my own property; my dear Lydia has forestalled me. |
b. To anticipate or prevent sales at (a fair, market) by buying up or selling goods beforehand or by dissuading persons from bringing in their goods. † to forestall the burgh: to make a profit out of the inhabitants by such practices (Sc. obs.).
| 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. iv. 43 He..Forstalleþ my Feire. Fihteþ in my chepynges. 1550 Lever Serm. (Arb.) 84 As couitous carles do here in Englande forstall the markettes. 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. 148 Quha forestalles the said burgh, be buying and selling. 1769 Blackstone Comm. IV. 158 The offence of forestalling the market is also an offence against public trade. 1849 James Woodman v, 'Tis thus he always forestalls the market. |
| fig. 1639 Fuller Holy War iii. vii. (1647) 121 Philip, thinking to forestall the market of honour, and take up all for himself, hasted presently to Ptolemais. |
† 3. To beset, obstruct by armed force (a way or passage); to bar the entrance to (a house) by a force stationed before it. Obs.
| 1535 in W. H. Turner Select. Rec. Oxford 131 Gwent and others..stode at y⊇ dore and forestalled y⊇ houses w{supt}{suph} swordes drawen, and thretned me. 1544 tr. Littleton's Tenures 54 b, The tenant..encountreth him & forestalleth him the way with force & armes. 1581 Lambarde Eiren. ii. iv. (1588) 155 If a disseisor of a house, or Land, shall fore⁓stall the way of the disseisee (with force and armes). 1611 Speed Hist. Gt. Brit. vii. xxxvi. §22 The..Inhabitants..begirt them about with their hoast, and forestalled the passages of all supply of victuals. |
4. Hence gen. To hinder, obstruct, or prevent by anticipation. Now rare; cf. 5.
| 1579 Spenser Sheph. Cal. May 273, I you pray, With your ayd to forstall my neere decay. 1615 Latham Falconry (1633) 109 Garlicke and wormewood shall forstall and correct them. 1667 Milton P.L. x. 1024 God Hath wiselier arm'd his vengeful ire then so To be forestall'd. 1675 Baxter Cath. Theol. ii. viii. 146 You must not forestall the Truth by any of these false suppositions. 1768 Blackstone Comm. III. 160 This has frequently occasioned offenders..to begin a suit, in order to forestall and prevent other actions. 1818 Jas. Mill Brit. India II. v. iv. 443 That he should not forestall the wishes of his allies, by the precipitate conclusion of a peace. 1863 H. Cox Instit. i. viii. 98 Endeavours to forestal a free election by papers, in the nature of warrants. |
† b. To bar or deprive (a person) by previous action from, of, out of (a thing). Obs.
| 1577–87 Holinshed Chron. I. 26/1 Purposing..to fore⁓stall the Romans from vittels. 1579 Spenser Sheph. Cal. Sept. 231 With heede and watchfullnesse, Forstallen hem of their wilinesse. 1611 Shakes. Cymb. iii. v. 69 May This night fore-stall him of the comming day. 1643 Prynne Sov. Power Parl. i. (ed. 2) 3 Who would have murthered him in his..Cradle to forestall him of the Crowne of England? 1660 Baker Chron. (1674) 260 King James..thought it stood not with his honour to be fore-stalled out of his own Realm. |
† 5. To pre-occupy, secure beforehand; also, to influence beforehand, prejudice. Obs.
| 1572 Buchanan Detect. Mary K ij, The mindis of the maist pairt of men weir.. forestallit wyth rewardis. 1600 Hakluyt Voy. (1810) III. 240 Suffered the fit places..to be forestalled and taken up by the Britons of Saint Malo. 1618 Bolton Florus Ep. Ded. (1636) A ij, Seeing the glory of a great Historian forestall'd by Livie. 1635 Sibbes Soules Confl. xiii. §3. 193 The Jewes..were fore-stalled with vaine imaginations against sound repentance. 1685 Boyle Enq. Notion Nat. 3 Most men will be forestall'd with no mean prejudices against so venturous an Attempt. |
b. To pre-occupy the place of.
| 1877 C. Geikie Christ liv. (1879) 653 An unworthy attempt to forestal them in their Master's favor. |
6. To be beforehand with in action; to anticipate the action of, or simply, to anticipate; often with the additional sense of rendering ineffective, nugatory, or useless. (The chief current sense.)
| c 1585 Faire Em i. 305 Then hie thee, Manvile, to fore⁓stall such foes. 1589 Greene Menaphon (Arb.) 59 Well did you forestall my exception. 1682 Bunyan Holy War 43 And this he did to forestal any tidings. a 1683 Oldham Poet. Wks. (1686) 18 Let your deeds forestal intent, Forestal ev'n wishes. 1712 Addison Spect. No. 363 In Milton the former part of the description does not forestal the latter. 1732 Waterland Wks. X. 464, I shall not forestall your own thoughts. 1751 C. Labelye Westm. Br. 97, I will not forestall the Readers in the Pleasure of pronouncing the Result. 1828 Scott F.M. Perth viii, I will teach him to forestall my sport! 1860 Pusey Min. Proph. 293 Micah forestalls our Lord's words, I am the good Shepherd, in his description of the Messiah. 1865 Kingsley Herew. ii, Whatever they were going to say the ladies forestalled. 1867 Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) I. ii. 50 He forestalled our age in exploring the Northern Ocean. |
7. To think of, deal with, or introduce before the appropriate or due time; ‘to meet’ (misfortune, etc.) ‘halfway’.
| 1634 Milton Comus 362 What need a man forestall his date of grief. 1725 Pope Odyss. xviii. 183 His boding mind the future woe forestalls. 1786–1805 H. Tooke Purley 52 In order to explain it, I must forestall something of what I had to say concerning conjunctions. 1828 Scott F.M. Perth xxxiii, Dorothy, whose talents for forestalling evil..are known to the reader. 1862 Goulburn Pers. Relig. iii. vi. (1873) 213, I cannot help so far forestalling this part of the subject. a 1871 Grote Eth. Fragm. iv. (1876) 109 There is no inclination to forestall his wants. |
† b. To place in the fore-front, bring forward.
| 1657 North's Plutarch, Add. Lives 42 To prove his [Charlemain's] said Ambition, the said Writers do usually forestall two of his Actions. |