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prevent

[pri-vent]

Example Sentences Origin

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verb (used with object)

to keep from occurring; avert; hinder: He intervened to prevent bloodshed.

to hinder or stop from doing something: There is nothing to prevent us from going.

Archaic. to act ahead of; forestall.

Archaic. to precede.

Archaic. to anticipate.

verb (used without object)

to interpose a hindrance: He will come if nothing prevents.

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Prevent is one of our favorite verbs.

So is fletcherise. Does it mean:

to chew (food) slowly and thoroughly.

to expurgate (a written work) by removing or modifying passages considered vulgar or objectionable.

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Origin:
1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin praeventus (past participle of praevenīre to anticipate), equivalent to prae- pre- + ven- (stem of venīre to come) + -tus past participle suffix

Related forms

pre·vent·a·ble, pre·vent·i·ble, adjective

pre·vent·a·bil·ty, noun

pre·vent·ing·ly, adverb

non·pre·vent·a·ble, adjective

non·pre·vent·i·ble, adjective

EXPAND

qua·si-pre·vent·ed, adjective

un·pre·vent·a·ble, adjective

un·pre·vent·ed, adjective

un·pre·vent·i·ble, adjective

COLLAPSE

Synonyms
1. obstruct, forestall, preclude, obviate, thwart. Prevent, hamper, hinder, impede refer to different degrees of stoppage of action or progress. To prevent is to stop something effectually by forestalling action and rendering it impossible: to prevent the sending of a message. To hamper is to clog or entangle or put an embarrassing restraint upon: to hamper preparations for a trip. To hinder is to keep back by delaying or stopping progress or action: to hinder the progress of an expedition. To impede is to make difficult the movement or progress of anything by interfering with its proper functioning: to impede a discussion by demanding repeated explanations.

Antonyms
1. help, assist.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To prevent

Example Sentences

Screening young athletes with electrocardiograms to prevent sudden cardiac death may be ineffective, a new study has found.

Proposed federal policy would prevent patent holders from protecting their ownership of genetic tests.

There were also hints that aspirin may help prevent some cancers.

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Screening young athletes with electrocardiograms to prevent sudden cardiac death may be ineffective, a new study has found.

Proposed federal policy would prevent patent holders from protecting their ownership of genetic tests.

There were also hints that aspirin may help prevent some cancers.

Mango may be headed for the list of food that may help prevent or stop cancer.

If the plan works out, drugs against these molecules could someday prevent biofilms from forming in the human body.

It may not prevent all attacks and deaths, but it can seriously help reduce the numbers.

Where winters are cold, it's crucial to mulch strawberries to prevent winter damage.

Scientists develop fake tanning lotions that will look more natural and help prevent skin cancer.

Anyone who has had kidney stones should try to prevent a recurrence.

FireFox may prevent the extension from installing the first time you click on it.

It was meant to shore up banks and prevent a depression.

Individuals can also help prevent acid rain by conserving energy.

Leor has spent the past fifteen years researching potential ways to prevent this deterioration.

At the same time they would genetically alter the cells to prevent rejection by the body.

For best control of small infestations, hoe or dig plants before they can set seed, cutting below the crown to prevent regrowth.

The primer helps to prevent the release of air bubbles from the subflooring.

The best way to prevent ear infections is to prevent colds and flu.

The sobering lesson is that conventional policy may not prevent a prolonged deflationary slump.

List the things you can do to prevent residential pollution.

And limiting plastic and plastic bag use is the best way to prevent such litter from ending up swirling around mid-ocean.

Spiders and insects produce antifreeze that prevent them from freezing solid.

To prevent powdery mildew, plant resistant varieties and routinely spray plants with jets of water to wash off fungus spores.

In either case, the goal is to prevent any air from entering the hose.

Satcher joined with a coalition of public and private groups to unveil a national blueprint to prevent suicide.

It seems much more expedient to ride to the rescue and save the people from a crisis than to prevent it from happening.

Scientists are still learning how to use small fires to prevent larger, deadlier ones.

Of course, the radical right-wingers would fight tooth-&-nail to prevent that from ever happening.

You'll need to manage health services worldwide to control the spread of the virus and prevent a pandemic.

Do this for regular turkey as well, to prevent dried-out breast meat.

Many factors can prevent this test from being completely reliable.

The best way to prevent sinusitis is to avoid colds and influenza.

In some cases smart structures can even take action to prevent or mitigate a problem.

It doesn't take long to sign up and you are helping to prevent more waste from entering our landfills.

McGee suggests decreasing the amount of baking soda in your recipe, or distributing it more evenly, to prevent the reaction.

Before using cut flowers in arrangements, dip stems in boiling water or hold in a flame for a few seconds to prevent sap bleed.

Federal health officials have issued guidelines to help communities prevent clusters of suicides, especially among teen-agers.

Not surprisingly, therefore, companies feel a growing urge to prevent leaks.

For instance, imagining eating chocolate wouldn't prevent you from gorging on cheese.

At the time, the city was trying to prevent the disease by fumigating all the ships that entered the city.

To prevent soil-borne pest buildup, plant in different site each year.

The surest way to prevent genocide would be to see it coming.

To prevent the silting, the government launched a livestock reduction program.

Sometimes people are mobilized to prevent things from happening.

Store different kinds of cookies separately, to prevent the moisture from softer cookies from affecting crisper cookies.

If the rain is heavy, prolonged and falls over larger areas, the presence of trees will not prevent catastrophic floods.

Insecticide-treated bed nets may be low-tech, but they are a highly effective way to prevent the spread of malaria.

Wire mesh covers the ceiling to prevent big pieces from falling into the roadways or hitting miners.

Shear flowers when they begin to brown with age to keep plants tidy and prevent reseeding.

Prevent retail banks lending to any investment bank without a substantial risk premium.

To prevent floods he proposed cut-offs to straighten and speed the river.

To prevent dissenters from striking out on their own, the pilgrim men sign a compact creating a government in their new location.

Remove faded blossoms to prevent them from setting seed and to ensure continued flower production.

By curious chance, the other word from the past is prevent.

Many tropical frog species secrete compounds known as alkaloids to protect themselves from predators and prevent infections.

Keep plant under control to prevent it from becoming rampant.

These are supposed to prevent fuel from melting and rupturing the protective steel case of the reactor vessels.

Strategically placed beehives-either recorded or real-may even prevent elephants from raiding farmers' crops.

Matching barstools and dining chairs prevent the space from feeling cluttered.

It guarantees access to the tools by which individuals prevent oppression at the hands of their own government.

Discover how influenza affects the public and how you can prevent getting the disease.

Stake tall marigolds early in the season to prevent them from toppling.

They hope to separate their part of the sea from the rest to prevent it drying out further.

Wide-mouth bottles are easier to dry, which can prevent bacterial growth.

Cut back severely at any time to prevent tangling, promote vigorous new growth.

Like mulch, sheet composting helps to prevent weeds in your garden.

Give some shade to prevent sunburn more add to my plant list.

Unfolding over days or even months, the little-understood quakes may help prevent the big ones.

It's sized to hold a pair of off-the-shelf plastic boxes to prevent water from leaking out and damaging floors or rugs.

Olive oil may actually prevent cancer, according to a study released earlier this year.

Tie tall bloom stalks to a stake to prevent them from falling over.

Keep feeders and water sources clean to prevent the spread of diseases.

Set the rootball slightly higher than the surrounding soil to prevent crown rot in winter.

Prevent the disease by planting resistant rose varieties.

To prevent weed seedlings from surviving on surface moisture, hoe in the morning so the sun bakes them during the day.

Roots need regular moisture, but leaves and stems should be kept dry to prevent diseases.

To prevent lanky, floppy growth on some summer- and fall-blooming perennials, control growth early in the season.

To keep the wood off wet ground and to prevent rot, he set the fence on a concrete footing.

Roots need regular moisture, but leaves and stems should be kept as dry as possible to prevent leaf and fruit diseases.

Prompt removal of spent flower stalks to prevent energy-robbing seed formation.

Lime sulfur may prevent spores from attaching to plant parts.

After bloom, shear off spent flower spikes to keep the planting neat and prevent seed formation.

Add butter to jams and jellies to prevent foam from forming during cooking.

Provide support for climbing and cut back after bloom to prevent tangling.

In beds of shallow-rooted plants, you can construct drainage channels to prevent water from pooling and causing root damage.

To prevent limb breakage, use wooden supports to brace sagging branches.

Use floating row covers to prevent adults from reaching plants.

Bubbler on hose end softens flow of water to prevent erosion.

If there is anything more oxymoronic than the prevent defense, it may be the prevent offense.

Experts say professors need savvy to prevent cheating in on-line courses.

Results are mixed on whether ergonomic measures prevent musculoskeletal pain.

Colleges try to prevent age-old culture clashes as four distinct groups meet in the workplace.

The fruit has been found in laboratory tests to prevent or stop some common forms of.

Do the math: affordable new technologies can prevent global warming while fostering growth.

But new legislation intended to prevent the creation of such creatures would also outlaw perfectly legitimate.

Finally, you can help prevent misguided editing of your copy in the first place.

Regulators want to prevent this, and their tool of choice now seems to be tighter capital-adequacy rules.

In fact, they act rationally-a characteristic that suggests ways to prevent riots.

Earlier conflicts spurred discoveries to prevent malaria and typhoid, a.

Previous investigators have had, at best, a mixed record of predicting who will commit suicide and how to prevent such deaths.

The idea that they might also prevent disease is counterintuitive.

New drugs promise to prevent some of the ensuing brain damage.

It had been erected to prevent the spread of disease from wildlife to cattle.

Canning tomatoes need high acid to help prevent botulism.

Ignition interlocks-- technologies that prevent people from driving drunk--are meeting some unlikely hurdles.

It is the main key to overcome and prevent the risks you might encounter.

Goal is to prevent coal-mining from smothering rivers and streams.

The authorities closed the site quickly to prevent a repeat.

Some carriers prevent users who actually find the software from controlling what information is sent.

It would require companies that own such colleges to demonstrate that they have adequate policies to prevent misbehavior.

Stating that a technology known to prevent a condition is widely available is not an adequate or moral public-health response.

When there is an overabundance of water, on the other hand, a dam can help prevent downstream flooding.

To prevent it, the men apply weights to their penises or take other extreme measures.

Don't let the negative comments prevent you from visiting us.

Partially cover the hole in bottom of pot with a pottery shard to prevent soil from spilling out.

Those companies, and other similar services, say their wares prevent the movies from being uploaded to torrent trackers.

Antioch alumni have created a college-revival fund to prevent the looming closure.

Learn how to help prevent global warming and to survive on an overheated planet.

Disagreement swirls around a plan to prevent errors in hospitals.

Keep the potato salad cold, or hold at room temperature for no more then four hours to prevent any illness.

He thought that if he could diffuse the radio frequency to prevent it from burning tissue, it could firm aging skin.

It will help prevent difficulties in performing daily duties due to lack of understanding or inconsistent methods.

One of the new offences is failure by a firm to prevent third parties.

Taking action to ensure the climate ends up on the low end of the range is vital to prevent catastrophic extinctions.

The vitamin was once thought to be necessary only to prevent rickets.

He said his web site promotes higher accuracy to prevent readers from consuming unsubstantiated facts, unnamed sources and so on.

They decided they had to do something to prevent minority enrollments from.

Emergency measures to prevent economic collapse boosted the size and power of government in many countries.

To prevent such a catastrophe, each dead pharaoh was mummified, which preserved his body.

Researchers have come up with clever ways to prevent such damage.

Its small size and narrow armholes are intended to prevent men from using it as an offensive weapon.

Skeptics say the exams needlessly prevent students who have otherwise completed all their course work.

The goal, then, is to encourage landowners to do more to prevent wildfires from starting and spreading.

Another method is to artificially widen rivers at certain points to prevent overflow in other areas.

However, if you want to prevent getting a raft of payday loans to pay for treatment prevention is easy.

Telomeres are similar to the plastic caps on the end of shoelaces that prevent fraying.

But the robust numbers did not prevent people here from worrying about the field's.

Rapid construction helped to prevent sustained price increases sufficient to spark a bubble mentality.

If you are planning to winter camp, familiarize yourself with ways to prevent and treat hypothermia and frostbite.

Scientists, security experts and legislators are now pondering various ideas to prevent lab-based terrorism.

Yet none of them tried to prevent his death by contacting his family or law enforcement.

University officials had lobbied to prevent those cutbacks, arguing that they would damage academic studies conducted there.

First, safeguards are being put in place to prevent election-year profligacy.

Basic, common-sense notions will help prevent petty thievery and other crime.

Researchers hope to soon determine whether gene therapy can not only prevent but reverse obesity and diabetes in animals.

To prevent the problem, avoid overwatering and take care not to injure plants.

Certainly you can make an effort to do so, but this does not prevent your.

Today, there are drugs to tip the balance in favour of survival, and a vaccine to prevent the disease altogether.

Prevent aching feet on your travels and pack lighter with these leather slip-ons.

Such intense fear may cripple careers and prevent people from visiting family or friends.

Prevent problems by buying healthy stock and, if possible, resistant varieties.

And the university is developing technological tools that can prevent using iPhones to cheat.

Collectively, they regulate entry to the trade and can prevent non-lawyers even from investing in the business.

Brown said the reason is to prevent cats from being harmed by religious cults or demented individuals.

True, they have not asked me for advice, but that does not prevent me from knowing what's best for them.

Collecting rain for later use or simply diverting it to prevent waste is the essence of water conservation.

Physicians use heparin to prevent blood clots after surgery and to treat clots that cause heart attacks.

Getting rid of weeds before they set seed is important to prevent ongoing problems.

Briscoe said that data misrepresentation is not common, and that internal controls prevent some degree of misreporting.

Letting more of the big ones get away may help prevent heavily fished.

Half get stuck underneath in a single layer-but there are small pockets of trapped air that likely prevent them from drowning.

To prevent sticking, turn mixture often as it cools.

Women of reproductive age are advised to take folate supplements to prevent serious birth defects such as spina.

COLLAPSE

Collins

World English Dictionary

prevent (prɪˈvɛnt)

—vb (often foll by from)
1.	(tr) to keep from happening, esp by taking precautionary action
2.	to keep (someone from doing something); hinder; impede
3.	(intr) to interpose or act as a hindrance
4.	archaic (tr) to anticipate or precede

[C15: from Latin praevenīre, from prae before + venīre to come]

pre'ventable

—*adj*

pre'ventible

—*adj*

preventa'bility

—n

preventi'bility

—n

pre'ventably

—*adv*

pre'ventibly

—*adv*

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source

Etymonline

Word Origin & History

prevent

early 15c., "to act in anticipation of," from L. præventus, pp. of prævenire "come before, anticipate, hinder," in L.L. also "to prevent," from præ "before" + venire "to come" (see venue). Originally literal; sense of "anticipate to hinder" was in L., but

EXPAND

not recorded in English until 1550s. Preventive in the medical sense is recorded from 1640s.

COLLAPSE

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"The most perfect political community must be amongst those who are in the middle rank, and those states are best instituted wherein these are a larger and more respectable part, if possible, than both the other; or, if that cannot be, at least than either of them separate, so that being thrown into the balance it may prevent either scale from preponderating."

-Aristotle

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