different between forego vs forestall

English

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /f??????/
• Homophone: forgo

Etymology 1

From Middle English forgan, from Old English foreg?n, equivalent to fore- +? go.

Verb

forego (third-person singular simple present foregoes, present participle foregoing, simple past forewent, past participle foregone)

1. To precede, to go before.
   • 1815, William Wordsworth, Methought I saw

     pleasing remembrance of a thought foregone

Usage notes

• The sense to precede is usually found in the form of the participles foregone (especially in the phrase "a foregone conclusion") and foregoing (usually used either attributively, as in "the foregoing discussion", or substantively, as in "subject to the foregoing").

Synonyms

• antecede, come before; see also Thesaurus:precede

Translations

Etymology 2

See forgo

Verb

forego (third-person singular simple present foregoes, present participle foregoing, simple past forewent, past participle foregone)

1. Alternative spelling of forgo; to abandon, to relinquish
   • 1762, Waller, T., The White Witch of the Wood, or the Devil of Broxbon, in The Beauties of all the Magazines Selected, for the Year 1762, Vol. I (February), page 34:

     […] for on no other terms does she desire a reconciliation, but will sooner forego all the hopes to which her birth entitles her, and get her bread by service, than ever yield to become the wife of the ——.

Usage notes

• Many writers prefer the spelling forgo for this sense, on the grounds that it avoids ambiguity with forego "to precede", especially in aspects such as "forgoing"/"foregoing" and "forgone"/"foregone".

References

• forego in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• forego in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

Anagrams

• goofer

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English forestallen (“to forestall, intercept, ambush, way-lay”), from forestalle (“a forestalling, interception”), from Old English foresteall (“intervention, hindrance of justice, ambush”), from fore- (“ahead of, before”) + steall (“position”), equivalent to fore- +? stall.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /f??(?)?st??l/
• Rhymes: -??l

Verb

forestall (third-person singular simple present forestalls, present participle forestalling, simple past and past participle forestalled)

1. (transitive) To prevent, delay or hinder something by taking precautionary or anticipatory measures; to avert.

   Fred forestalled disaster by his prompt action.

2. (transitive) To preclude or bar from happening, render impossible.

   In French, an aspired h forestalls elision.

3. (archaic) To purchase the complete supply of a good, particularly foodstuffs, in order to charge a monopoly price.
4. To anticipate, to act foreseeingly.
   • 1919, W. Somerset Maugham, The Moon and Sixpence, chapter 26

     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.

5. To deprive (with of).
6. (Britain, law) 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.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:hinder

Derived terms

• forestaller
• forestalment
• forestallment

Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English forstal, from Old English foresteall (“an intervention, hindrance (of justice), ambush, assault, offence of waylaying on the highway, fine for such an offence, resistance, opposition”), equivalent to fore- +? stall.

Alternative forms

• foresteal, forsteal, forestal

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?f??(?).st??l/

Noun

forestall (plural forestalls)

1. (obsolete or historical) An ambush; plot; an interception; waylaying; rescue.
2. Something situated or placed in front.

Anagrams

• fellators