with obj.
1
- take action in order to prevent (an anticipated event) happening; forestall抢在…之前行动; 预先制止：
the government pre-empted a coup attempt.
政府阻止了一次政变企图。
1.1
- act in advance of (someone) in order to prevent them doing something抢在（某人）之前以阻止做某事：
it looked as if she'd ask him more, but Parr pre-empted her.
似乎她本来还要再问他什么, 但帕尔抢先阻止了她。
1.2
- N. Amer.(of a broadcast) interrupt or replace (a scheduled programme)〈北美〉（广播）（对事先安排好的节目）插播; 打断：
the violence pre-empted regular programming.
暴力事件打断了正常节目播放。
2
- acquire or appropriate (something) in advance抢先得到; 抢先占领：
many tables were already pre-empted by family parties.
许多桌子已被举行家宴的人捷足先登了。
2.1
- N. Amer.take (something, especially public land) for oneself so as to have the right of pre-emption〈北美〉预先霸占（尤指公共土地）以取得优先购买权; 预先独占。
3
- no obj. Bridge make a pre-emptive bid【桥牌】先发制人地叫牌。
- Bridge a pre-emptive bid【桥牌】先发制人的叫牌。
派生词
pre-emptor
noun词源
mid 19th cent.: back-formation from PRE-EMPTION.