Emily Dickinson Lexicon

FORE-CLOSE, v.t. [s as z.]

To shut up; to preclude; to stop; to prevent. The embargo with Spain foreclosed this trade. Carew. 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. Blackstone. [To foreclose a mortgage, is not technically correct, but is often used.]