— preventable, preventible , adj. — preventabilty , n. — preventingly , adv.
/pri vent"/ , v.t.
1. to keep from occurring; avert; hinder: He intervened to prevent bloodshed.
2. to hinder or stop from doing something: There is nothing to prevent us from going.
3. Archaic. to act ahead of; forestall.
4. Archaic. to precede.
5. Archaic. to anticipate.
v.i.
6. to interpose a hindrance: He will come if nothing prevents.
[ 1375-1425; late ME praeventus (ptp. of praevenire to anticipate), equiv. to prae- PRE- + ven- (s. of venire to COME) + -tus ptp. suffix ]
Syn. 1. obstruct, forestall, preclude, obviate, thwart. PREVENT, HAMPER, HINDER, IMPEDE refer to different degrees of stoppage of action or progress. To PREVENT is to stop something effectually by forestalling action and rendering it impossible: to prevent the sending of a message. To HAMPER is to clog or entangle or put an embarrassing restraint upon: to hamper preparations for a trip. To HINDER is to keep back by delaying or stopping progress or action: to hinder the progress of an expedition. To IMPEDE is to make difficult the movement or progress of anything by interfering with its proper functioning: to impede a discussion by demanding repeated explanations.
Ant. 1. help, assist.