FORECLOSE

foreclose

(verb) subject to foreclosing procedures; take away the right of mortgagors to redeem their mortgage

prevent, forestall, foreclose, preclude, forbid

(verb) keep from happening or arising; make impossible; “My sense of tact forbids an honest answer”; “Your role in the projects precludes your involvement in the competitive project”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Verb

foreclose (third-person singular simple present forecloses, present participle foreclosing, simple past and past participle foreclosed)

(transitive, legal) To repossess a mortgaged property whose owner has failed to make the necessary payments; used with on.

(transitive, legal) To cut off (a mortgager) by a judgment of court from the power of redeeming the mortgaged premises.

(transitive, originally) To shut up or out; to prevent from doing something.

Synonyms: stop, prevent, bar, exclude

Source: Wiktionary


Fore*close", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Foreclosed; p. pr. & vb. n. Foreclosing.] Etym: [F. forclos, p.p. of forclore to exclude; OF. fors, F. hors, except, outside (fr. L. foris outside) + F. clore to close. See Foreign, and Close, v. t.]

Definition: To shut up or out; to preclude; to stop; to prevent; to bar; to exclude. The embargo with Spain foreclosed this trade. Carew. To foreclose a mortgager (Law), to cut him off by a judgment of court from the power of redeeming the mortgaged premises, termed his equity of redemption.

– To foreclose a mortgage, (not technically correct, but often used to signify) the obtaining a judgment for the payment of an overdue mortgage, and the exposure of the mortgaged property to sale to meet the mortgage debt. Wharton.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Coffee Trivia

In the 18th century, the Swedish government made coffee and its paraphernalia (including cups and dishes) illegal for its supposed ties to rebellious sentiment.

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