Prevent - English meaning

verb

Seize (someone) by legal authority and take them into custody.

Usage examples:

The police arrested him for possession of marijuana

noun

The action of seizing someone and taking them into custody.

Usage examples:

I have a warrant for your arrest

verb

Take into custody

verb

Turn away (one's eyes or thoughts).

Usage examples:

She averted her eyes while we made stilted conversation

verb

Turn away or aside

verb

To prevent something bad from happening; avoid

Usage examples:

The last-minute agreement averted renewed fighting., the shy man was standing before me, his eyes a…

verb

Hesitate or be unwilling to accept an idea or undertaking.

Usage examples:

He balked at such a drastic solution

noun

A roughly squared timber beam.

Usage examples:

A balk of timber

verb

To be unwilling to do something or let something happen

Usage examples:

I balked at the prospect of spending four hours on a train with him.

noun

A large solid piece of hard material, especially rock, stone, or wood, typically with flat surfaces on each side.

Usage examples:

A block of marble

verb

Make the movement or flow in (a passage, pipe, road, etc.) difficult or impossible.

Usage examples:

The narrow roads were blocked by cars

verb

Obstruct

verb

Examine (something) in order to determine its accuracy, quality, or condition, or to detect the presence of something.

Usage examples:

Customs officers have the right to check all luggage

noun

An examination to test or ascertain accuracy, quality, or satisfactory condition.

Usage examples:

A campaign calling for regular checks on gas appliances

exclamation

Us spelling of cheque.

phrasal verb

Prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening

phrasal verb

To defend yourself successfully against an attack, criticism, or some other unwanted thing

Usage examples:

He’s an international celebrity with a staff to help fend off reporters., the social democrat gover…

phrasal verb

To avoid dealing with something that is unpleasant or difficult

Usage examples:

The publisher offered shareholders a special dividend to try to fend off a hostile takeover bid fro…

verb

Prevent (something considered wrong or undesirable) from succeeding.

Usage examples:

A brave policewoman foiled the armed robbery

noun

The track or scent of a hunted animal.

noun

Metal hammered or rolled into a thin flexible sheet, used chiefly for covering or wrapping food.

Usage examples:

Aluminium foil

verb

Bring or come to an abrupt stop.

Usage examples:

There is growing pressure to halt the bloodshed

noun

A suspension of movement or activity, typically a temporary one.

Usage examples:

A halt in production

adjective

(of a person) having a physical disability.

Usage examples:

If a man were halt or hunch'd

noun

A basket with a carrying handle and a hinged lid, used for food, cutlery, and plates on a picnic.

Usage examples:

A picnic hamper

verb

Hinder or impede the movement or progress of.

Usage examples:

Their work is hampered by lack of funds

noun

Necessary but cumbersome equipment on a ship.

Usage examples:

The mass of the top hamper must be consciously balanced against the tremendous beam.

verb

Make it difficult for (someone) to do something or for (something) to happen.

Usage examples:

Language barriers hindered communication between scientists

adjective

(especially of a bodily part) rear; hind.

Usage examples:

The hinder end of its body

verb

To limit the ability of someone to do something, or to limit the development of something

Usage examples:

A poor diet can hinder mental and physical growth., i don’t know if these changes are going to help…

verb

Delay or prevent (someone or something) by obstructing them; hinder.

Usage examples:

The sap causes swelling which can impede breathing

verb

To make it more difficult for something to happen or more difficult for someone to do something

Usage examples:

Although he's shy, it certainly hasn't impeded his career in any way.

verb

Obstruct (someone or something) so as to prevent them from continuing to a destination.

Usage examples:

Intelligence agencies intercepted a series of telephone calls

noun

An act or instance of intercepting something.

Usage examples:

He read the file of radio intercepts

verb

To stop or catch something or someone that is on the way from one place to another so that it does not reach the intended place

Usage examples:

To intercept a letter, the ball was intercepted by grady.

idiom

To stop something before it has an opportunity to develop

Usage examples:

We have to nip these money problems in the bud before we get into real trouble.

verb

Block (an opening, path, road, etc.); be or get in the way of.

Usage examples:

She was obstructing the entrance

verb

Remove (a need or difficulty).

Usage examples:

The presence of roller blinds obviated the need for curtains

verb

To remove a difficulty, especially so that action to deal with it becomes unnecessary

Usage examples:

A peaceful solution would obviate the need to send a un military force.

verb

To finish doing something or end, or to cause someone or something to finish

Usage examples:

[ i ] when do you think the snow will stop?, [ t ] when will it stop snowing?, [ t ] please stop pu…

verb

To prevent something from happening or continuing, or to not continue to happen

Usage examples:

Are these new environmental laws enough to stop climate change?, the government demanded that the p…

verb

Remain in the same place.

Usage examples:

You stay here and i'll be back soon

noun

A period of staying somewhere, in particular of living somewhere temporarily as a visitor or guest.

Usage examples:

An overnight stay at a luxury hotel

verb

Secure or steady (a mast) by means of stays.

Usage examples:

We stayed the mast on the starboard side by shifting the halyard

verb

(of an event, action, or process) come to an end; cease to happen.

Usage examples:

His laughter stopped as quickly as it had begun

noun

A cessation of movement or operation.

Usage examples:

All business came to a stop

verb

Have an end, in a temporal, spatial, or quantitative sense

verb

Prevent (someone) from accomplishing something.

Usage examples:

He never did anything to thwart his father

noun

A structural crosspiece forming a seat for a rower in a boat.

Usage examples:

Her hull is painted white with blue trim on the thwarts.

preposition

From one side to another side of (an area); across.

Usage examples:

A pink-tinged cloud spread thwart the shore