Pre-emptive

Government troops launched a pre-emptive attack on the insurgents, after receiving intelligence reports that they were planning an assault.

The government was criticised for not taking pre-emptive action to avoid the catastrophic consequences for customers following the collapse of the National Bank.

The GNR made a pre-emptive attack in 1865 when it submitted a Bill to build a line from Bourne to Sleaford, purely to block any developments by the GNR.