|
| pre·empt [ pree émpt ] |
verb (past and past participle pre·empt·ed, present participle pre·empt·ing, 3rd person present singular pre·empts) |
|
| Definition: |
| |
1. transitive verb act to prevent something: to do something that makes it pointless or impossible for somebody else to do what he or she intended
|
2. transitive verb occupy something: to occupy public land in order to have the right to buy it later
|
3. transitive verb replace something: to take the place of something, especially of something less important
|
4. intransitive verb bridge make bid that blocks others: in bridge, to make a bid so high that it discourages further bidding
|
noun (plural pre·empts) |
|
| Definition: |
| |
bridge preemptive bid: in bridge, a preemptive bid
|
| [Mid-19th century. Back-formation <preemption] |
|
  pre·emp·tor noun |
| pre·emp·to·ry adjective |
|
