thwarten

English

Etymology

From Middle English thwertenen, equivalent to thwart +‎ -en.

Verb

thwarten (third-person singular simple present thwartens, present participle thwartening, simple past and past participle thwartened)

1. (transitive, intransitive) To be positioned contrary to; be set against; oppose; hinder
   • 1967, International Quarterly Journal Devoted to the Study of Fiscal Policy and Related Problems:

     It is e.g. frivolous — and in the longer run thwartens the wishes of the tax stabilizers — if accidental declines in expenditures are without much justification used for new (and more or less permanent) tasks.

   • 1981, T. D. Guyenne, G. Lévy, Plasma astrophysics:

     Small scale magnetic turbulence may quench the instability; the galactic differential rotation also tends to thwarten the growth of the longest modes.

   • 1988, Quarterly Journal of International Agriculture:

     […] (2) that the expansion of agricultural production for export purposes did not thwarten food production, and (3) that rural poverty had been reduced and the quality of life had been improved.