Prevent definition
Took steps to prevent the strike.
An example of prevent is to seat students a couple of desks away from one another to stop them from copying each other's responses on an exam.
We pray thee that thy grace may always prevent and follow us.
Then had I come, preventing Sheba's queen.
There will be a picnic if nothing prevents.
Prevented us from winning; prevented the disease from spreading.
Origin of prevent
- Middle English preventen to anticipate from Latin praevenīre praevent- prae- pre- venīre to come gwā- in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
- From Middle English preventen (“anticipate"), from Latin praeventus, perfect passive participle of praeveniō (“anticipate"), from prae (“before") + veniō (“come").
From Wiktionary