Associations to the word «Prevent»

Wiktionary

PREVENT, verb. (transitive) To stop; to keep (from happening). [from 16th c.]
PREVENT, verb. (intransitive) (now rare) To take preventative measures. [from 16th c.]
PREVENT, verb. (obsolete) (transitive) To come before; to precede. [16th-18th c.]
PREVENT, verb. (obsolete) (transitive) To outdo, surpass. [16th-17th c.]
PREVENT, verb. (obsolete) (transitive) To be beforehand with; to anticipate.

Dictionary definition

PREVENT, verb. Keep from happening or arising; make impossible; "My sense of tact forbids an honest answer"; "Your role in the projects precludes your involvement in the competitive project".
PREVENT, verb. Stop (someone or something) from doing something or being in a certain state; "We must prevent the cancer from spreading"; "His snoring kept me from falling asleep"; "Keep the child from eating the marbles".

Wise words

Words, words, words! They shut one off from the universe. Three quarters of the time one's never in contact with things, only with the beastly words that stand for them.
Aldous Huxley