Dictionary 1. (v. t.) To render unnecessary; to anticipate and prevent by interception; to make unnecessary; as, to obviate the necessity of going\.Thesaurus anticipate avert bar debar deflect deter discourage dishearten estop exclude fend fend off forbid foreclose forestall help interfere interpose intervene keep from keep off preclude prevent prohibit repel rule out save stave off turn aside ward ward off |