Prevent Definition
prevent
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English
Alternative forms
- prævent (archaic)
Etymology
From Middle English preventen (“anticipate”), from Latin praeventus, perfect passive participle of praeveniō (“anticipate”), from prae (“before”) + veniō (“come”).
Pronunciation
-
- Rhymes: -ɛnt
Verb
prevent (third-person singular simple present prevents, present participle preventing, simple past and past participle prevented)
- (transitive) To stop; to keep (from happening). [from 16th c.]
- I brushed my teeth to prevent them from going yellow.
- 2011 October 1, Tom Fordyce, “Rugby World Cup 2011: England 16-12 Scotland”, BBC Sport:
- Scotland must now hope Georgia produce a huge upset and beat Argentina by at least eight points in Sunday's final Pool B match to prevent them failing to make the last eight for the first time in World Cup history.
- (intransitive, now rare) To take preventative measures. [from 16th c.]
- 1897, Henry James, What Maisie Knew:
- ‘I think you must be mad, and she shall not have a glimpse of it while I'm here to prevent!’
- 1897, Henry James, What Maisie Knew:
- (obsolete, transitive) To come before; to precede. [16th-18th c.]
- (obsolete, transitive) To outdo, surpass. [16th-17th c.]
- 1596, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, IV.i:
- With that he put his spurres vnto his steed, / With speare in rest, and toward him did fare, / Like shaft out of a bow preuenting speed.
- 1596, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, IV.i:
Synonyms
- See also Wikisaurus:hinder
Derived terms
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