To forestall a potential water shortage, the city council implemented strict conservation measures before the dry season began.
为了预先阻止可能的水资源短缺，市议会在旱季到来之前实施了严格的节约用水措施。
Which choice best defines “forestall”?
A — To prevent by acting first.. “forestall” means To prevent by acting first..
Which word means “To prevent by acting first.”?
B — forestall. “forestall” means To prevent by acting first..
forestall — To prevent by acting first.. In Chinese: 预先阻止；抢先.
forestall is pronounced //fɔːˈstɔːl//.
To forestall a potential water shortage, the city council implemented strict conservation measures before the dry season began. (为了预先阻止可能的水资源短缺，市议会在旱季到来之前实施了严格的节约用水措施。)
preempt, prevent, avert — all close in meaning to forestall (To prevent by acting first.).
provoke, instigate — each the opposite of forestall (To prevent by acting first.).
Yes. forestall is on the SAT Prep Difficult list — the higher-register words that decide the hard questions. The Digital SAT does not test vocabulary in isolation; words like this one are tested through Words in Context questions, where you choose the word that completes a passage most logically and precisely.
fore(先) + stall(拦) → 先下手拦。