Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Foreclose
Fore-close′
,Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Foreclosed
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Foreclosing
.] [F. ]
forclos
, p. p. of forclore
to exclude; OF. fors
, F. hors
, except, outside (fr. L. foris
outside) + F. clore
to close. See Foreign
, and Close
, Verb.
T.
To shut up or out; to preclude; to stop; to prevent; to bar; to exclude.
The embargo with Spain
foreclosed
this trade. Carew.
To foreclose a mortgager
(Law)
, to cut him off by a judgment of court from the power of redeeming the mortgaged premises, termed his equity of redemption.
– To foreclose a mortgage
, (not technically correct, but often used to signify) the obtaining a judgment for the payment of an overdue mortgage, and the exposure of the mortgaged property to sale to meet the mortgage debt.
Wharton.
Webster 1828 Edition
Foreclose
FORECLO'SE
,Verb.
T.
The embargo with Spain foreclosed this trade.
To foreclose a mortgager, in law, is to cut him off from his equity of redemption, or the power of redeeming the mortgaged premises, by a judgment of court.
[To foreclose a mortgage is not technically correct, but is often used.]