pre·empt /prē-'empt/ vt
1 a: to acquire (land) by preemption
b: to seize upon to the exclusion of others: take for oneself
a senior user of a trademark could not preempt use of the mark in remote geographical markets — Mesa Springs Enterprises v. Cutco Indus., 736 P.2d 1251 (1986)
2 a: to replace or supersede (a law) by preemption
such state laws are not preempt ed by the federal Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 — National Law Journal
b: to preclude or bar (an action) by preemption
federal airline deregulation does not preempt claims under state contract law — National Law Journal
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam-Webster. 1996.