praecludo

Praecludo is a Latin verb meaning to shut off beforehand, to prevent, or foreclose. It is formed from the prefix prae- “before” and the verb clūdere “to close.” The principal parts are praeclūdō, praeclūdere, praeclūsus, praeclūsum, and the base gives forms in the third conjugation. In English, the verb is the ancestor of preclude.

Usage and sense: praecludere is used transitively to foreclose an action, deny a claim, or preempt a possibility. In legal Latin, it appears in phrases such as actio praecluditur (“the action is foreclosed”) or praecludere causam (“to foreclose a case”). In philosophical or scholastic contexts, it may denote excluding an alternative proposition. The verb can appear in passive or impersonal constructions, for example praecluditur (“it is foreclosed”) or praeclūdi (“to be foreclosed” as a passive infinitive).

Morphology and related forms: the perfect passive participle is praeclūsus (masc.), praeclūsa (fem.), praeclūsum (neut.). The supine or passive infinitive is praeclūrī or praeclūdi, depending on voice. The English cognate preclude derives from Latin praecludere through later French and Germanic forms.

Context and cognates: praecludo belongs to Latin vocabulary for foreclosing or preventing actions, claims, or possibilities. Its core meaning remains “to shut in front of” and it is commonly contrasted with synonyms such as prohibeo or impedio, depending on nuance. The term provides the etymological source for the English verb preclude.