foreclose

== English == === Etymology === Partially from Middle English foreclosen, forclosen, from Old French forclos, past participle of forclore (“to exclude”), from for- (“(prefix used to express error, exclusion, or inadequacy)”) + clore (“to shut”), and partially from Middle English forclusen (“to close up”), from Old English forclȳsan (“to close up”), equivalent to fore- +‎ close. (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.) === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /fɔːˈkləʊz/ (General American, Canada) IPA(key): /fɔɹˈkloʊz/ (General Australian) IPA(key): /foːˈkləʉz/, /ˌfoːˈklɐʉz/ (New Zealand) IPA(key): /foːˈklɐʉz/ Rhymes: -əʊz === Verb === foreclose (third-person singular simple present forecloses, present participle foreclosing, simple past and past participle foreclosed) (transitive, law) To repossess a mortgaged property whose owner has failed to make the necessary payments; used with on. (transitive, law) 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 ==== Derived terms ==== foreclosee forecloser foreclosure foreclosable ==== Related terms ==== forestall preclude ==== Translations ==== === Further reading === foreclosure on Wikipedia.Wikipedia “foreclose”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.