Webster's English Dictionary

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prevent

pre.vent also pre.vent.ible \pri-'vent\ \-.vent-*-'bil-*t-e-\ 
   \-'vent-*-b*l\ vb [ME preventen to anticipate, fr. L praeventus, pp. of 
   praevenire] to come before, anticipate, forestall, fr. prae- + venire to 
   come - more at COME archaic  1a: to be in readiness for (as an occasion)  
   1b: to meet or satisfy in advance  1c: to act ahead of  1d: to arrive 
   before  2: to deprive of power or hope of acting or succeeding  3: to keep 
   from happening or existing {steps to ~ war}  4: to hold or keep back : 
   HINDER, STOP - often used with (Xfrom : to interpose an obstacle eforehand. 
   PREVENT implies taking advance measures against something possible or 
   probable; ANTICIPATE implies a getting ahead of or being prior (as in 
   using, treating, accomplishing) often so as to prepare for something that 
   will come later; FORESTALL implies a getting ahead so as to stop or 
   interrupt something in its courseFF mean to stop something from coming or 
   occurring. PREVENT implies the existence of or the placing of an 
   insurmountable obstacle; PRECLUDE implies the shutting out of every 
   possibility of a thing's happening or taking effect; OBVIATE suggests the 
   use of forethought to avoid the necessity for unwelcome or disagreeable 
   actions or measures; AVERT and WARD OFF imply taking immediate and 
   effective measures to avoid, repel, or counteract threatening evil - 
   pre.vent.abil.i.ty n SYN syn PREVENT, ANTICIPATE, FORESTALL mean to deal 
   with b  SYN syn PREVENT, PRECLUDE, OBVIATE, AVERT, WARD O