foreclose

American  

[fawr-klohz, fohr-] / fɔrˈkloʊz, foʊr- /

verb (used with object)

foreclosed, foreclosing

1. Law.

   1. to deprive (a mortgagor or pledgor) of the right to redeem their property, especially on failure to make payment on a mortgage when due, ownership of property then passing to the mortgagee.

   2. to take away the right to redeem (a mortgage or pledge).

2. to shut out; exclude; bar.

3. to hinder or prevent, as from doing something.

4. to establish an exclusive claim to.

5. to close, settle, or answer beforehand.

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verb (used without object)

foreclosed, foreclosing

1. to take away the right to redeem a mortgage or pledge.

foreclose British  

/ fɔːˈkləʊz, fɔːˈkləʊʒə /

verb

1. law to deprive (a mortgagor, etc) of the right to redeem (a mortgage or pledge)

2. (tr) to shut out; bar

3. (tr) to prevent or hinder

4. (tr) to answer or settle (an obligation, promise, etc) in advance

5. (tr) to make an exclusive claim to

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Other Word Forms

• foreclosable adjective
• foreclosure noun
• nonforeclosing adjective

Etymology

Origin of foreclose

First recorded 1250–1300; Middle English foreclosen from Old French forclos, past participle of forclore “to exclude,” equivalent to for- “out” + clore “to shut” (from Latin claudere )

Example Sentences

If the U.S. legally forecloses this question while other nations leave it open, we risk being strategically blindsided.

From The Wall Street Journal

Isabella County, in which the court will examine whether government has the right to keep value beyond what is owed in taxes after foreclosing on a home.

From The Wall Street Journal

This does not, of course, foreclose another question: Does the book add anything of additional value—defining the term, loosely, to include perspective and narrative fluency?

From The Wall Street Journal

But circumstances can change, and a permanent prohibition against Ukrainian membership would foreclose a step that may become necessary.

From The Wall Street Journal

Unlike a factory built to make a particular product, land is easy to repurpose—which makes foreclosed land easy to sell.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• preclude