Pitt wanted to cripple Spain's war-making ability by launching a pre-emptive strike against her South American treasure fleet...
In a pre-emptive move the Interior Ministry arrested a number of suspected dissidents.
English dictionary. 2008.
pre-emptive — pre emp|tive preemptive [priˈemptıv] adj a pre emptive action is done to prevent something from happening, especially something that will harm you pre emptive strike/attack ▪ a series of pre emptive strikes on guerilla bases … Dictionary of contemporary English
pre-emptive — UK US (also preemptive) adjective ► done before someone else can act, especially to prevent them doing what they had planned: pre emptive action/measure/move »The Treasury decided to raise interest rates as a pre emptive measure against inflation … Financial and business terms
pre-emptive — (adj.) also preemptive, 1855, pertaining to preemption; from PRE EMPT (Cf. pre empt) + IVE (Cf. ive). Specifically of an attack on an enemy who is plotting his own attack, from 1959, a term from the Cold War. Related: Pre emptively; preemptively … Etymology dictionary
pre-emptive — pre empt ► VERB 1) take action in order to prevent (something) happening or (someone) from doing something. 2) obtain or take in advance. DERIVATIVES pre emptive adjective pre emptor noun … English terms dictionary
pre-emptive — unprovoked and without warning Used of warfare or violence. Pre emption is buying first, whence denying the purchase to others. In the phrases pre emptive strike and preemptive offensive: It would be important... for the forces of the… … How not to say what you mean: A dictionary of euphemisms
pre-emptive — adjective a pre emptive action is done to harm someone else before they can harm you, or to prevent something bad from happening: pre emptive strike/attack: a series of pre emptive strikes on guerilla bases pre emptively adverb … Longman dictionary of contemporary English
pre-emptive — UK [priːˈemptɪv] / US [prɪˈemptɪv] adjective 1) done or said to prevent something from happening a pre emptive strategy 2) intended to make it impossible or difficult for an enemy to attack a pre emptive air strike Derived word: pre emptively… … English dictionary
pre-emptive — /pri ˈɛmptɪv/ (say pree emptiv) adjective 1. of or relating to pre emption. 2. Bridge of or relating to an unnecessarily high bid, made to deter one s opponents from bidding. 3. Military of or relating to an action undertaken to destroy or weaken …
pre-emptive — adj. 1 pre empting; serving to pre empt. 2 (of military action) intended to prevent attack by disabling the enemy (a pre emptive strike). 3 Bridge (of a bid) intended to be high enough to discourage further bidding … Useful english dictionary
pre-emptive — adj. Pre emptive is used with these nouns: ↑action, ↑attack, ↑move, ↑strike, ↑war … Collocations dictionary
