pre-emption

pre-emption
noun
[mass noun]
  1. the purchase of goods or shares by one person or party before the opportunity is offered to others
    优先购买
    the commission had the right of pre-emption.
    委员会有优先购买权。
    ■(historical, chiefly N. Amer. & Austral.)the right to purchase public land in this way
    (史,主北美,主澳)公共土地优先购买权
  2. the action of pre-empting or forestalling, especially of making a pre-emptive attack
    抢先占有;先发制人(尤指抢先攻击)
    damaging retaliation for any attempt at pre-emption.
    对任何企图先发制人的毁灭性报复。
    ■(N. Amer.)the interruption or replacement of a scheduled radio or television programme
    (北美)(广播或电视节目的)插播,替换
语源
  1. early 17th cent.: from medieval Latin praeemptio(n-), from the verb praeemere, from prae 'in advance' + emere 'buy'
英语宝典
考试词汇表