1. Take action to prevent an anticipated event
   "The police preemptd the riot by increasing patrols";
   - pre-empt
    
2. [N. Amer] Take the place of or have precedence over
   "discussion of the emergency situation will preempt the lecture by the professor"; "live broadcast of the presidential debate preempts the regular news hour";
   - displace, pre-empt
    
3. [N. Amer] Gain possession of by prior right or opportunity, especially so as to obtain the right to buy (land)
   "The developer preempted the prime real estate before others could bid";
   - pre-empt
    
4. Acquire for oneself before others can do so
   "They preemptd the best seats by arriving early";
   - pre-empt
    
5. (bridge) make a preemptive bid in the game of bridge
   "He preempted with four spades to block the opponents' bidding";
   - pre-empt

1. A high bid that is intended to prevent the opposing players from bidding
   "He made a preempt of four spades to block the opponents from entering the auction";
   - preemptive bid, pre-empt

Derived forms: preempts, preempting, pre-empts, pre-empting, preempted, pre-empted

Type of: acquire, bid, bidding, call, get, replace, supercede [non-standard], supersede, supervene upon, supplant

Encyclopedia: Preempt