prevent

prevent is defined in Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1913) with 4 senses. The full text of each entry is reproduced verbatim below.

Definitions

  1. 1.We pray thee that thy grace may always prevent and follow us. Bk. of Common Prayer. Then had I come, preventing Sheba's queen. Prior.
  2. 2.To be beforehand with; to anticipate. [Obs.] Their ready guilt preventing thy commands. Pope.
  3. 3.To intercept; to hinder; to frustrate; to stop; to thwart. "This vile purpose to prevent." Shak. Perhaps forestalling night prevented them. Milton.
  4. 4.To come before the usual time. [Obs.] Strawberries . . . will prevent and come early. Bacon.

Source: Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).

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