preempt

(redirected from preempts)
Also found in: Thesaurus.

pre·empt

(prē-ĕmpt′)

v. pre·empt·ed, pre·empt·ing, pre·empts

v.tr.

1. To take the place of or take precedence over: Discussion of the water shortage will preempt the other topics on this week's agenda.

a. To take action to prevent (an event or other action) from happening; forestall: "The [Joint] Chiefs ... proposed the use of nuclear weapons to preempt China's anticipated attack on Formosa" (James Carroll).

b. To take action to prevent (another) from acting.

a. To acquire or take for oneself before others; appropriate: "I've preempted the forward compartment [of the boat] with two berths shaped like a V ... to make myself a double bunk" (Joan Gould).

b. To gain possession of by prior right or opportunity, especially to settle on (public land) so as to obtain the right to buy before others.

v.intr. Games

To make a preemptive bid in bridge.

[Back-formation from preemption.]

pre·emp′tor′ (-ĕmp′tôr′) n.

pre·emp′to·ry (-ĕmp′tə-rē) adj.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

pre•empt

or pre-empt

(priˈɛmpt)

v.t.

1. to occupy (land) in order to establish a prior right to buy; claim.

2. to acquire or appropriate before someone else; take for oneself; arrogate.

3. to take the place of because of priorities, rescheduling, etc.; supplant: A special news report preempted the game show.

4. to forestall or prevent (something anticipated) by acting first; head off.

v.i.

5. Bridge. to make a preemptive bid.

6. Bridge. a preemptive bid.

[1840–50, Amer.; back formation from preemption]

pre•emp′ti•ble, adj.

pre•emp′tor (-tɔr, -tər) n.

pre•emp′to•ry (-tə ri) adj.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Noun	1.	preempt - a high bid that is intended to prevent the opposing players from bidding pre-empt, preemptive bid bidding, bid - (bridge) the number of tricks a bridge player is willing to contract to make
Verb	1.	preempt - acquire for oneself before others can do so acquire, get - come into the possession of something concrete or abstract; "She got a lot of paintings from her uncle"; "They acquired a new pet"; "Get your results the next day"; "Get permission to take a few days off from work"
	2.	preempt - take the place of or have precedence over; "live broadcast of the presidential debate preempts the regular news hour"; "discussion of the emergency situation will preempt the lecture by the professor" displace supercede, supersede, supervene upon, supplant, replace - take the place or move into the position of; "Smith replaced Miller as CEO after Miller left"; "the computer has supplanted the slide rule"; "Mary replaced Susan as the team's captain and the highest-ranked player in the school"
	3.	preempt - gain possession of by prior right or opportunity, especially so as to obtain the right to buy (land) acquire, get - come into the possession of something concrete or abstract; "She got a lot of paintings from her uncle"; "They acquired a new pet"; "Get your results the next day"; "Get permission to take a few days off from work"
	4.	preempt - make a preemptive bid in the game of bridge bridge - any of various card games based on whist for four players bid, call - make a demand, as for a card or a suit or a show of hands; "He called his trump"

preempt

or pre-empt
verb

1. To lay claim to for oneself or as one's right:

appropriate, arrogate, assume, commandeer, seize, take, usurp.

2. To cause to be busy or in use:

engage, monopolize, occupy, tie up.

Mentioned in ?

References in classic literature ?

Then we have another weird neighbor, who printed a beautiful sign in English and tacked it on the door of his cabin, which we have preempted, warning us to destroy none of his belongings, and signing himself "Tarzan of the Apes."

View in context

Thus, all unread in philosophy, Daylight preempted for himself the position and vocation of a twentieth-century superman.

View in context

Modern players open the bidding on lighter values, and preempts, formerly based in at least a semblance of sanity, are now made on the flimsiest of excuses.

Preempts

Over the last decade, courts around the country have been asked to decide whether ERISA preempts state slayer statutes state laws that prohibit a murderer from collecting benefits as the beneficiary of the victim's estate or as the surviving spouse of the victim under an insurance policy or benefit plan.

ERISA preemption of state slayer statutes: does it matter?

"The First Circuit has considered, but not decided, whether the FLSA preempts individual state law wage claims analogous to the claim presented here.

Employment- Class action - Wage Act - FLSA

ERISA completely preempts any state law claim or remedy based on wrongful withholding of benefits promised under an employee benefit plan.

Man's misclassification claim not preempted by ERISA

the Court focused on the ERISA clause stating that ERISA preempts

The Great Divide: ERISA Integrity versus State Desire to Hold Pharmacy Benefit Managers Accountable for Pharmaceutical Drug Pricing

It is good that the Voting Rights Act of 1965 preempts state laws that restrict the rights of minority citizens to vote.

State regulators and juries: the right backs states' rights when that's convenient--but uses federal preemption to overrule blue state policies

Courts have increasingly looked to federal law to determine liability and standard of care for such issues as in-flight air operations, pilot training and air space management, but they have been more reluctant to hold that federal law preempts state law in such areas as product manufacturing defects, failure to warn and on-ground aviation accidents.