dynamic
toggle menu
menu
vocabulary
1000+ books

forestall
in a sentence

show 143 more with this conextual meaning
  • But my little birds will be listening, and together we may be able to forestall them, you and I." He rose and pulled up his cowl so his face was hidden once more.†   (source)
  • He raised a hand, forestalling their explanation.†   (source)
  • He made a shooing motion to forestall his student's protest.†   (source)
  • In reality, the fair was far behind schedule, with worse delay forestalled only by the winter's mildness.†   (source)
  • This "supplement" is supposed to be a sign of good faith, to forestall a nationwide strike of university students, but some students walked out anyway, and the signs of Mobutu's faith so far have been expressed with nightsticks.†   (source)
  • She started to ask him what she was supposed to be looking at, but he held up a hand to forestall her.†   (source)
  • Conscious of the fatality of love, he had often wondered how the meeting would be that he was bound to have with Lorenzo Daza sooner or later, the meeting that no human power could forestall because it had been inscribed in both their destinies forever.†   (source)
  • I tried to envision the muscles along my neck relaxing, forestalling the headache I felt creeping on.†   (source)
  • In most societies, mythological or theological explanations were devised to explain why women should suffer in childbirth, and they forestalled efforts to make the process safer.†   (source)
  • Once she might have thought of appealing to him; but now a sure knowledge of what his reply would be forestalled that.†   (source)
  • It was empty distraction of the type that forestalls the pain of ordinary talk.†   (source)
  • Mahtob and I crawled into bed, so tired that the saggy mattresses, musty blankets, and prickly pillows could not forestall sleep.†   (source)
  • But Saruman has long studied the arts of the Enemy himself, and thus we have often been able to forestall him.†   (source)
  • He checked himself in some confusion and, to forestall Bigwig's rebuke, spoke to Hazel at once.†   (source)
  • He lifted a hand to call a messenger to his side, but Attolia forestalled him.†   (source)
  • He disliked dogs, but this animal moved in a way that forestalled these feelings.†   (source)
  • An appeal would forestall international pressure to release us.†   (source)
  • Gullberg raised a hand to forestall Wadensjöö's objections.†   (source)
  • And to forestall any inquiry into the cause of the difference between a jungle village and New York City, they resort to the ultimate obscenity of explaining man's industrial progress-skyscrapers, cable bridges, power motors, railroad trains-by declaring that man is an animal who possesses an 'instinct of tool-making.'†   (source)
  • Whether he was wise or not in trying to forestall both the alarm and the sense of inferiority that he saw lying in wait for us when we should become better aware of ourselves and our difference, I cannot say.†   (source)
  • "I know what this is," he said, sharply enough to forestall further discussion.†   (source)
  • The answer was accepted and amplified by Rav Gershenson, thereby forestalling Danny's poised hand.†   (source)
  • And to forestall threats of death from the crowd in the gandhi enclosure, Clarence kept his fastest horse near him at all times.†   (source)
  • "I've thought about that," Tyler said, holding up a hand to forestall a reply.†   (source)
  • Angelo takes out a quill, parchment and ink, explaining to the audience but not to the good guys, who are still ignorant of recent developments, that to forestall an invasion from Faggio, he must assure Gennaro with all haste of his good intentions.†   (source)
  • I was on the point of leaving my tent and climbing the ridge to have a look for her myself, when she forestalled me.†   (source)
  • Professor Chance cleared his throat purposefully, but the Inspector forestalled him.†   (source)
  • It was forestalled.†   (source)
  • Just in case a hostile local tribe of Martians killed off York and Williams, we have instructions to land in a further region, to forestall a recurrence of such a disaster.†   (source)
  • He mocked himself to forestall the mocking comments of anti-semites.   (source)
    forestall = prevent
  • It forestalled a really vicious war that could have lasted for decades.   (source)
    forestalled = prevented
  • Would that forestall the prophecy?   (source)
    forestall = prevent
  • every opportunity of speaking to her alone appeared to be forestalled.   (source)
  • His gravity was unusual, portentous, and immeasurable, not because he admitted any doubt of himself but because he perceived it necessary to forestall any doubt of himself in others.   (source)
  • Frederick's confession of folly need not be forestalled.   (source)
  • So he forestalled what might be the next move:   (source)
  • interposing quickly to forestall a retort from Jane   (source)
  • Perhaps he should reveal the smallness of his income immediately, so as to forestall her.†   (source)
  • No deaths," he added quickly, forestalling the question, "but they were rough.†   (source)
  • Roran waved a hand, forestalling Mandel's objections.†   (source)
  • If any words have the power to forestall tragedy, it will be those.†   (source)
  • To forestall your departure, and make you stay in the room with her as long as possible.†   (source)
  • "When we were in Diagon Alley," Harry began, but Mr. Weasley forestalled him with a grimace.†   (source)
  • Ron started to speak, but Hermione forestalled him in a whisper.†   (source)
  • This has been forestalled and obscured until now, but nevertheless must be known.†   (source)
  • And you wish to forestall this prophecy?†   (source)
  • How long could I find excuses that would forestall Ellen?†   (source)
  • This would forestall any possible rumors of their approach.†   (source)
  • My body throbbed with the legacy of the border crossing, but the pain could not forestall sleep.†   (source)
  • Rebeca tried to forestall any comments.†   (source)
  • They cart the young men off and murder them, intending to forestall revenge, as the Greeks did at Troy.†   (source)
  • We must forestall him †   (source)
  • Then he held up a finger, forestalling Eragon's reply, and pulled a plug of felted wool out of his left ear.†   (source)
  • Lord Tywin had forestalled that by stealing a march on them and wedding Sansa to Tyrion, but the link had been there.†   (source)
  • He opened his mouth to speak again, but Arya forestalled him by placing three of her fingers upon his lips.†   (source)
  • In order to forestall outbreaks of retaliatory violence, we arranged a week-long series of mass rallies and demonstrations throughout the country.†   (source)
  • With Garzhvog translating, Eragon told them the first part of his plan to forestall future conflict between the Urgals and the other races, which was for the Urgals to hold games every few years, games of strength, speed, and agility.†   (source)
  • Once he had emptied his mug, Eragon began to bid farewell to Glumra, but she forestalled him with a motion of her hand.†   (source)
  • Can it be forestalled?†   (source)
  • In his desperate anguish— to forestall their future sufferings and to end his own-he killed them himself, felling his wife and three children with that same, razor-sharp ax that he had used to carve toys for the two small girls and the boy, who had been his favorite.†   (source)
  • Today, 'bourgeois' and 'petty bourgeois' have become terms of abuse, but Pushkin forestalled the implied criticism in his 'Family Tree,' where he says proudly that he belongs to the middle class, and in 'Onegin's Travels' we read: 'Now my ideal is the housewife, My greatest wish, a quiet life And a big bowl of cabbage soup.'†   (source)
  • He had only taken the time to assure himself of its truth by a second telegram, and had hastened to forestall any less careful, less tender friend in bearing the sad message.†   (source)
    forestall = prevent something by taking action
  • " To forestall her, he said, "We'll give you fifteen a week, starting..."†   (source)
  • When the door was shut, and they were preparing to say goodbye to him on the landing, Poirot forestalled them.†   (source)
  • The Proclamation became necessary to hold his remaining supporters and to forestall—so he believed-English recognition of the Confederacy.†   (source)
  • Supposing someone had forestalled him?†   (source)
  • There was a good deal of embarrassment; Miss Lehr began to say something, 'Why, father...', but Mr Lehr forestalled her, laying down the magazine and its load of well-shaved politicians.†   (source)
  • However, I am anxious to forestall, if possible, what appears to be a tragedy, the spectacle of a young man of your obvious mental gifts setting out deliberately to make a mess of his life.†   (source)
  • And Kino, looking closely, saw deep worry come into his brother's eyes and he forestalled him in a possible refusal.†   (source)
  • In another moment she would be saying that young Misses with blistered hands and freckles most generally didn't never catch husbands and Scarlett forestalled the remark.†   (source)
  • So he forestalled what might be the next move: "Some of us pumped on our heads—mine's damp yet.†   (source)
  • He had carried it in before I could forestall him.†   (source)
  • He's forestalling most of the things I intended to riddle him with.†   (source)
  • But to forestall the French with his whole army was impossible.†   (source)
  • Tom's cupbearer was present, and forestalled all his attempts to help himself to wine.†   (source)
  • The two names had been forestalled by La Fontaine.†   (source)
  • It was a match which Sir Thomas's wishes had even forestalled.†   (source)
  • 'If I said how I would earn them, another man might hear and forestall me.†   (source)
  • The natives of the United States will forestall the rightful occupants of these solitary regions.†   (source)
  • We will forestall the imperial robbers at least this once.†   (source)
  • "I was about to offer myself, sir," said the priest; "it is our mission to forestall our duties."†   (source)
  • An' Monty forestalled him.†   (source)
  • You forestalled me?†   (source)
  • And you must remember he was a finished artist in that peculiar way, he was a gifted poor devil with the faculty of swift and forestalling vision.†   (source)
  • But if her friend was going to attempt a conquest in this manner, was it not just as well to forestall her?†   (source)
  • So they planned their meetings and tried to foresee and forestall all possible risks, and from that drifted to talk about the future.†   (source)
  • Her light grey eyes wandered continually from one to the other, noting every little want and forestalling it if possible.†   (source)
  • So on by degrees, until Francoise and my aunt, the quarry and the hunter, could never cease from trying to forestall each other's devices.†   (source)
  • Her maidenly reserve, and a certain sense of what was conventional under the circumstances, called her to forestall and deny this familiarity, but the daring and magnetism of the individual, born of past experience and triumphs, prevailed.†   (source)
  • Then if Mrs. Shimerda was inclined to make trouble—her son was still under age—she would be forestalled.†   (source)
  • He had simply assumed it, taken it for granted, so calmly, so resolutely, that the mere idea of not participating suddenly appeared in such a strange light to James himself that he hastily added, "But of course, to be sure," in an attempt to forestall any suspicion that he had, even for a moment, planned something so outrageous.†   (source)
  • But his pursuers forestalling him, he doubled back across the cabin, passed over the galley, and gained the deck by means of the steerage-scuttle.†   (source)
  • He had no arms with which to attack me from a distance; while I, armed, could always forestall him should he attempt to grapple me with his terrible gorilla arms.†   (source)
  • It had paralyzed him with the revelation it brought; for Hare now knew as he had never known anything before, that he would forestall August Naab, avenge the death of Dave, and kill the rustler Holderness.†   (source)
  • But how shrewd and deep must be that mind that would foresee and forestall all the accidents and chances of life.†   (source)
  • Villefort thus forestalled any danger of an inquiry, which, however improbable it might be, if it did take place would leave him defenceless.†   (source)
  • Now you are going to say something about law being the worst wilderness of the two, but I forestall you; remember, I have forestalled you.†   (source)
  • Nevertheless, allow me to inform you that by harvesting this very Bay of Vigo, you're simply forestalling the efforts of a rival organization.†   (source)
  • The Vicar's frankness seemed not of the repulsive sort that comes from an uneasy consciousness seeking to forestall the judgment of others, but simply the relief of a desire to do with as little pretence as possible.†   (source)
  • And it struck Yevgeny Petrovitch as strange and absurd that he, an experienced advocate, who spent half his life in the practice of reducing people to silence, forestalling what they had to say, and punishing them, was completely at a loss and did not know what to say to the boy.†   (source)
  • He adopts its likings and its animosities, he hastens to anticipate its wishes, he forestalls its complaints, he yields to its idlest cravings, and instead of guiding it, as the legislature intended that he should do, he is ever ready to follow its bidding.†   (source)
  • 'Oh!' said I, 'I shall not forestall Jane; I left her dancing with Mr. George Otway; she will love to tell you all about it herself to-morrow: her first partner was Mr. Elton, I do not know who will ask her next, perhaps Mr. William Cox.'†   (source)
  • Mahbub forestalled and embraced him.†   (source)
  • If so be 'tis not true, 'twill flurry her, and do her much harm to repeat it; and if so be 'tis true, 'twill do no good to forestall her time o' trouble.†   (source)
  • He sat upon a purple cloth instead of a saddle, and that, and a bridle with a forestall of gold and reins of yellow silk broadly fringed at the lower edge, completed the housings of the horse.†   (source)
  • She wished rather to forestall his arrival by a process of conjecture, and to judge by the expression of her face this attempt gave her plenty to do.†   (source)
  • I know it was a slight knowledge,' said Mr Meagles, dexterously forestalling an angry interruption which he saw about to break.†   (source)
  • 'Very good,' replied Mr. Brownlow, smiling; 'but no doubt they will bring that about for themselves in the fulness of time, and if we step in to forestall them, it seems to me that we shall be performing a very Quixotic act, in direct opposition to our own interest—or at least to Oliver's, which is the same thing.'†   (source)
  • But forestalling his answer, she said,— "I suppose it's all astronomers; because, you know, they live up in high towers, and if the women came there they might talk and hinder them from looking at the stars."†   (source)
  • She was so completely under the thrall of the two clever ones, was so systematically kept in sight by one or other of them, and was so afraid to go about the house besides, that every opportunity of speaking to her alone appeared to be forestalled.†   (source)
  • Rostov, who had completely forgotten Denisov, not wishing anyone to forestall him, threw off his fur coat and ran on tiptoe through the large dark ballroom.†   (source)
  • 'And as I see on the faces about me, a disposition to inquire how it happened that I was not in the way to corroborate Oliver's tale, and had so suddenly left the kingdom, let me stipulate that I shall be asked no questions until such time as I may deem it expedient to forestall them by telling my own story.†   (source)
  • At that moment he was only caring for what would recommend the Farebrother family; and he had purposely given emphasis to the worst that could be said about the Vicar, in order to forestall objections.†   (source)
  • As for the six hundred thousand francs, you do not mention them to me, but I forestall your thought, they are a deposit.†   (source)
  • Till this year, every long vacation since their marriage had been divided between Hartfield and Donwell Abbey; but all the holidays of this autumn had been given to sea-bathing for the children, and it was therefore many months since they had been seen in a regular way by their Surry connexions, or seen at all by Mr. Woodhouse, who could not be induced to get so far as London, even for poor Isabella's sake; and who consequently was now most nervously and apprehensively happy in forestalling this too short visit.†   (source)
  • He made two or three further efforts to help himself, but being promptly forestalled each time, he finally gave up, with a sigh of resignation and a murmured "Beshrew me, but I marvel they do not require to breathe for me also!"†   (source)
  • If I were you, I think I would enter on the subject with Stelling at once: there's no necessity for sending the boy before Midsummer, but I would be on the safe side, and make sure that nobody forestalls you.†   (source)
  • Now you are going to say something about law being the worst wilderness of the two, but I forestall you; remember, I have forestalled you.†   (source)
  • He was ingenious; he had forestalled Soulange Bodin in the formation of little clumps of earth of heath mould, for the cultivation of rare and precious shrubs from America and China.†   (source)
  • If he reached Znaim before the French, there would be great hope of saving the army; to let the French forestall him at Znaim meant the exposure of his whole army to a disgrace such as that of Ulm, or to utter destruction.†   (source)
  • In this general excitement the most distinguished men were ready to forestall the wants of the community, and the people clung to them for support, and placed them at its head.†   (source)
  • You have been forestalled, my dear!†   (source)
  • General Jackson is the slave of the majority: he yields to its wishes, its propensities, and its demands; say rather, that he anticipates and forestalls them.†   (source)
  • Bagration was to make this march without resting, and to halt facing Vienna with Znaim to his rear, and if he succeeded in forestalling the French he was to delay them as long as possible.†   (source)
  • If Kutuzov decided to retreat along the road from Krems to Olmutz, to unite with the troops arriving from Russia, he risked being forestalled on that road by the French who had crossed the Vienna bridge, and encumbered by his baggage and transport, having to accept battle on the march against an enemy three times as strong, who would hem him in from two sides.†   (source)
  • "No," said he, "my father's hands need not be strengthened, and Frederick's confession of folly need not be forestalled.†   (source)
  • Akhilleus shook his head at the rest of the Akhaians, allowing none to shoot or cast at Hektor— none to forestall him, and to win the honor.†   (source)
  • But none could wound or hit the marshal of the Trojans, ] being forestalled by the Trojan peers, Aineias, Poulydamas, and Agenor, Sarpedon, chief of Lykians, and Glaukos.†   (source)
  • He blinked, plainly unprepared for resistance, but one of the judges forestalled his reply.†   (source)
    forestalled = prevented something by taking action
  • The archer who had brought me here forestalled me.†   (source)
  • Murtagh forestalled each threatened explosion of nausea by vicious nose-pinching, an expedient not uniformly successful, but one which allowed a gradual accumulation of the opiate in the patient's bloodstream.†   (source)
  • He grinned, teeth white in the shadow, forestalling my protest.†   (source)
  • and might not you Forestall our sport, to make us thus untrue?†   (source)
  • I'm wrong to forestall Your marriage to Tartuffe, and my defiance Is apparent in barring that alliance.†   (source)
  • Sweet Princes, what I did, I did in honour, Led by the impartial conduct of my soul; And never shall you see that I will beg A ragged and forestall'd remission.†   (source)
  • [Exeunt OEDIPUS and CREON] PRIEST Come, children, let us hence; these gracious words Forestall the very purpose of our suit†   (source)
  • Or if thou covet death, as utmost end
    Of misery, so thinking to evade
    The penalty pronounced; doubt not but God
    Hath wiselier armed his vengeful ire, than so
    To be forestalled; much more I fear lest death,
    So snatched, will not exempt us from the pain
    We are by doom to pay; rather, such acts
    Of contumacy will provoke the Highest
    To make death in us live: Then let us seek
    Some safer resolution, which methinks
    I have in view, calling to mind with heed
    Part of our sentence, that thy seed shall bruise
    The Serpent's head; piteous amends!†   (source)
  • And what's in prayer but this twofold force,— To be forestalled ere we come to fall, Or pardon'd being down?†   (source)
  • In theirs the listeners felt as much pity as wonder at her misfortunes; but as the curate was just about to offer her some consolation and advice Cardenio forestalled him, saying, "So then, señora, you are the fair Dorothea, the only daughter of the rich Clenardo?"†   (source)
  • but for my tears, The moist impediments unto my speech, I had forestall'd this dear and deep rebuke Ere you with grief had spoke and I had heard The course of it so far.†   (source)
  • Therefore, lady, let us, as I say, forestall his schemes by our activity, and let us depart at once in quest of fair fortune; for your highness is only kept from enjoying it as fully as you could desire by my delay in encountering your adversary.†   (source)
  • If your mind dislike anything, obey it: I will forestall their repair hither, and say you are not fit.†   (source)
  • and said, "It is a common proverb, fair lady, that 'diligence is the mother of good fortune,' and experience has often shown in important affairs that the earnestness of the negotiator brings the doubtful case to a successful termination; but in nothing does this truth show itself more plainly than in war, where quickness and activity forestall the devices of the enemy, and win the victory before the foe has time to defend himself.†   (source)
▲ show less (of above)