Where does “forestall” come from?
Forestall comes from Middle English forstal, from Old English foresteall, from Old English steall meaning "place" or "position," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European steh₂- meaning "to stand."
forestall (English): To prevent, delay or hinder something by taking...
Definitions
- To prevent, delay or hinder something by taking...
Ancestry of “forestall”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | forstal | — |
| 2 | Old English | foresteall | intervention; a hindrance, obstacle; ambush,... |
| 3 | Old English | steall | a position, especially one that is standing;... |
| 4 | Old English | hām | home; village, community; village, hamlet, manor,... |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | haim | home |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | haimaz | home; house; village |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱóymos | of the home, belonging to the family; village,... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱey- | to be lying down; to settle |