Other

foreclose

Syllabification: (fore·close)

Definition of foreclose

verb

1 [no object] take possession of a mortgaged property as a result of the mortgagor’s failure to keep up their mortgage payments:the bank was threatening to foreclose on his mortgage
[with object] take away someone’s power of redeeming (a mortgage) and take possession of the mortgaged property.

2 [with object] rule out or prevent (a course of action):the decision effectively foreclosed any possibility of his early rehabilitation

Origin:

Middle English: from Old French forclos, past participle of forclore, from for- 'out' (from Latin foras 'outside') + clore 'to close'. The original sense was 'bar from escaping,' in late Middle English 'shut out,' and 'bar from doing something' (foreclose (sense 2)), hence specifically 'bar someone from redeeming a mortgage' (foreclose (sense 1), early 18th century)

foreclose in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of foreclose in the British & World English dictionary

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