foreclose

Meanings

1. To repossess a mortgaged property whose owner has failed to make the necessary payments; used with on.
2. To cut off (a mortgager) by a judgment of court from the power of redeeming the mortgaged premises.
3. To shut up or out; to prevent from doing something.

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.