pre•emp•tive /prée-émptiv/ adj.


1. (of military action) intended to prevent attack by disabling the enemy.
2. to seize upon before someone else can.


The remaining six of them were standing around the last piece discussing very diplomatically exactly how and when to divide it when Jim, armed with a silver fork he had concealed in his shirt cuff, made a preemptive attack and devoured the cake. He laughed and laughed. Then they shot his balls off.