forestall

/fȯr-ˈstȯl/

Middle English, from forstall act of waylaying, from Old English foresteall, from fore- + steall position, stall

verb

  1. to exclude, hinder, or prevent (something) by prior occupation or measures

  2. to get ahead of (something) : anticipate

  3. to prevent the normal trading in (something) by buying or diverting goods or by persuading people to raise prices

Negotiations failed to forestall the conflict.

prevent anticipate forestall mean to deal with beforehand. prevent implies taking advance measures against something possible or probable. anticipate may imply merely getting ahead of another by being a precursor or forerunner or it may imply checking another's intention by acting first.