precludes

Preclude is a verb meaning to prevent something from happening or to make it impossible. In ordinary use, a clause, action, or circumstance may preclude a future event. The form precludes is used with third-person singular subjects: "The clause precludes any further claims."

Origin and related forms: From Latin praecludere, combining prae- 'before' and cludere 'to close'. Related terms include preclusion (the act of precluding or the rule that prevents), preclusive (adjective), and precluded (past participle).

Contexts: In legal contexts, preclusion describes rules that bar a claim or issue from being raised, such as res judicata or collateral estoppel. In logic and philosophy, to preclude a proposition is to rule out its compatibility with another proposition; in everyday language, it can denote that circumstances preclude an outcome.

Usage notes: Preclude is transitive and typically followed by a direct object or by 'from' for the person or outcome blocked: e.g., "The policy precludes liability for intentional misconduct" or "The agreement precludes further negotiations."

See also: preclusion, preclusive, res judicata, collateral estoppel, exclusion, prohibition.