(~s, ~ing, ~ed)
Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.
1.
To ~ something means to ensure that it does not happen.
These methods ~ pregnancy...
Further treatment will ~ cancer from developing...
We recognized the possibility and took steps to ~ it happening.
VERB: V n, V n from -ing, V n -ing
~ion
...the ~ion of heart disease.
...crime ~ion.
N-UNCOUNT
2.
To ~ someone from doing something means to make it impossible for them to do it.
He said this would ~ companies from creating new jobs...
The police have been trying to ~ them carrying weapons.
VERB: V n from -ing, V n -ing