FORTSTALLING

Every practice or device, by act, conspiracy, words, or news, to enhance the price of victuals or other provisions.

All endeavors whatever to enhance the common price of any merchandise, and all kinds of practices which have that tendency, whether by spreading false rumors or buying things in a market before the accustomed hour, were offences at common law and came under the notion of forestalling, which included all kind of offences of this nature.
   

This entry contains material from Bouvier's Legal Dictionary, a work published in the 1850's.