| 释义 |
▪ I. † preˈvent, ppl. a. Obs.
[ad. L. prævent-us, pa. pple. of prævenīre to prevene.]
Prevented, in various senses: chiefly as pple.; see the verb.
c1420Pallad. on Husb. i. 248 And tilyng, whenne hit tyme is hit to do, Is not to rathe yf dayis thryis fyue Hit be preuent. 1432–50tr. Higden (Rolls) IV. 397 The lecches seide the deformite of the childe to be causede in that the dewe tyme of childenge was prevente [L. debita tempora prævenisset]. c1450tr. De Imitatione ii. viii. 49 But if þou be preuent and norisshid wiþ his grace. 1482Monk of Evesham (Arb.) 46 Ye remembre how a certen..cytson of this place was hastly preuent of dethe and sodenly dyed. 1521Bradshaw's St. Werburge, 2nd Balade to Auctour 23 With deth preuent he myght nothyng replique.
▪ II. prevent, v.|prɪˈvɛnt|
[f. L. prævent-, ppl. stem of prævenīre: see prevene, and cf. prec.]
I.
†1. trans. To act before, in anticipation of, or in preparation for (a future event, or a point of time, esp. the time fixed for the act); to act as if the event or time had already come. Obs.
1432–50tr. Higden (Rolls) VI. 37 The peple prevente that feste by the abstinence of a monethe [L. jejunio prævenitur]. 1467–8Rolls of Parlt. V. 623/1 Better it were to prevente the tyme, and occupie the seid Adversary at home, than to suffre hym to entre this Londe. 1535Coverdale Ps. cxix. 148 Myne eyes preuente y⊇ night watches, yt I might be occupied in thy wordes. 1601Shakes. Jul. C. v. i. 105 But I do finde it Cowardly, and vile, For feare of what might fall, so to preuent The time of life. a1626Bacon New Atl. (1650) 4 He had prevented the Houre, because we might have the whole day before us, for our Businesse. 1633G. Herbert Temple, Self-condemnation, Thus we prevent the last great day, And judge our selves. 1694Congreve Double-Dealer iv. xv, Who does not prevent the hour of Love out⁓stays the time. 1752Hume Ess. & Treat. (1777) I. 150 Cælia,..preventing the appointed hour,..chides my tardy steps. 1813Scott Rokeby ii. iv, Bertram..from the towers, preventing day, With Wilfrid took his early way.
b. To meet beforehand or anticipate (an objection, question, command, desire, want, etc.). arch.
a1533Frith Another Bk. agst. Rastell Wks. (1829) 217 To these two points I answer, preventing their objection, that they should not despise it, because of my youth. 1553T. Wilson Rhet. 100 Anticipacion is when we preuent those wordes that another would saie, and disproue theim as vntrue, or at least wise answere vnto them. 1588Kyd Househ. Phil. Wks. (1901) 240 So that I preuented his desire, and in some sort to satisfie him, said I was neuer till nowe in this Countrey. 1633in Verney Mem. (1892) I. 124 My hopes are that your religious care hath prevented these admonitions. 1667Dryden Maiden Queen ii. i, Your goodness still prevents my wishes. 1700in Col. Rec. Pennsylv. I. 597, I am glad wee have prevented their Commands in doing it before they came. 1788Disinterested Love I. 5 Thus he prevented all my wants. 1830Wordsw. Russian Fugitive i. v, She led the Lady to a seat..Prevented each desire. 1850Smedley F. Fairlegh xliv, It will be the study of my life to prevent your every wish―..‘Prevent’ means to forestall in that sense.
†c. intr. or absol. To come, appear, or act before the time or in anticipation. Obs.
1542St. Papers Hen. VIII, IX. 190 ThEmperour.. fearing the comming of the Turques power this next yere, entendeth to prevente, and also to goo Hym self befor into Italie. 1609Bible (Douay) 1 Macc. x. 4 Let us prevent to make peace with him, before he make with Alexander against us. 1626Bacon Sylva §403 Strawberries watered now and then..with water wherein hath been steeped Sheeps-dung..will prevent and come early.
2. trans. To act before or more quickly than (another person or agent); to anticipate in action. Now rare and arch.
1523Skelton Garl. Laurel 428 So I am preuentid of my brethern tweyne In rendrynge to you thankkis meritory. 1526Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 106 Our lorde knowynge all thoughtes & wordes, preuented his discyples, & made answere hym selfe. 1556Robinson tr. More's Utop. Epist. P. Giles (Arb.) 25, I shoulde preuent him, and take frome him the flower and grace of the noueltie. 1627Hakewill Apol. (1630) 6th Advert., I finde my selfe for the maine matter prevented by Stephanus Pannonius in that booke of his. 1675Hobbes Odyssey xv. 146 Whil what to answer he was taking care, Helen prevented him. 1715–16Pope Let. to E. Blount 20 Mar., I know you have prevented me in this thought, as you always will in any thing that's good. 1758Blackstone Comm. I. Introd. 32 Perhaps..I could now..suggest a few hints in favour of university learning:—but in these all who hear me, I know, have already prevented me. 1776Gibbon Decl. & F. vi. I. 154 The fortunate soil assisted, and even prevented, the hand of cultivation. 1808Helen St. Victor Ruins of Rigonda I. 6 Foventi wished..to ask the father's consent to address his daughter, when he was prevented by the baron's asking his advice in point of providing a husband.
b. Canon Law. ‘To transact or undertake any affair before an inferior, by right of position’ (Cassell's Encycl. Dict.); = prevene v. 1 d. Cf. prevention 2 a.
3. To come, arrive, or appear before, to precede; to outrun, outstrip. Now rare and arch.
1523St. Papers Hen. VIII, VI. 193 The Frence men..discendyd with incredible diligence, preventing thestimation off all the Italians. 1538Cromwell in Merriman Life & Lett. (1902) II. 138, I have..sent it vnto hym after the departure of the said Muriell, to thentent he myght prevente thambassadours poste and you have leasure to consulte and advise vpon the same. 1557N.T. (Genev.) 1 Thess. iv. 15 We which lyue..shal not preuent them [Wyclif schulen not come before hem; Tindale shall not come yerre they] which slepe. a1586Sidney Arcadia i. (1622) 33 The sunne..could never prevent him with earlinesse. a1648Ld. Herbert Life (1886) 175, I went from Lyons to Geneva, where I found also my fame had prevented my coming. 1655Fuller Ch. Hist. i. i. §15 To prove our Old Style before the New (which prevents our Computation by ten dayes..). a1766F. Sheridan Sidney Bidulph V. 6, I am an early riser, yet my lord V― prevented me the next morning, for I found him in the parlour when I came down stairs.
†b. fig. To outdo, surpass, excel. Obs.
1540Morysine Vives' Introd. Wysd. I iv b, Be not onely euen with them that honour the, but..preuente them whan thou mayste. 1548Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Matt. ii. 26 Preuenting the Iewes, which were thought to be next vnto God. 1634Sir T. Herbert Trav. 52 Had Vulcan and his Cyclopes beene working there, there noise had beene prevented. 1660tr. Amyraldus' Treat. conc. Relig. ii. viii. 270 To prevent and go beyond all the world in respect.
4. Theol., etc. To go before with spiritual guidance and help: said of God, or of his grace anticipating human action or need. arch.
1531Tindale Exp. 1 John (1537) 34 In all that we do or thynke well, he preuenteth vs with his grace. 1548–9(Mar.) Bk. Com. Prayer, Collect 17th Sund. Trinity, That thy grace maye alwayes preuente and folowe us. Ibid., Communion ad fin., Preuent us, O lorde, in all our doinges, with thy most gracious fauour. 1597J. T. Serm. Paules Cr. 65 The benignitie of God did alwaies prevent me, from many dangers freed me. 1676Hale Contempl. i. 45 The Spirit of Truth and Wisdom, that doth really and truly but secretly prevent and direct them. a1711Ken Div. Love Wks. (1838) 303 O let thy grace..ever prevent, accompany, and follow me. 1841Trench Parables, Lost Sheep (1860) 371 It is in fact only the same truth..that grace must prevent as well as follow us. 1869Goulburn Purs. Holiness ii. 12 God in it prevents us (in the old sense of the word ‘prevents’), anticipates us with His Grace.
b. Said of the action of God's grace, held to be given in order to predispose to repentance, faith, and good works. See prevenient 2. arch.
1548–9(Mar.) Bk. Com. Prayer, Collect Easter Day, As by thy speciall grace, preuentyng us, thou doest putte in our myndes good desyres. 1562Articles of Relig. x, We haue no power to do good workes..without the grace of God by Christe preuentyng vs, that we may haue a good wyll, & workyng with vs, when we haue that good wyll. 1563Homilies ii. Rogation Week iii. (1859) 485 If any will we have to rise, it is he that preventeth our will, and disposeth us thereto. 1577St. Aug. Manual (Longman) 79 Who is so hard harted that he will not be softened by the love of God preventyng man with so harty good will, that he vouchsafed to become man for mans sake? 1670Devout Commun. (1688) 135 If thy grace prevented us before repentance, that we might return, shall it not much more prevent repenting sinners, that we may not perish? 1842Manning Serm. (1848) II. ii. 19 Baptismal regeneration is the very highest and most perfect form of the doctrine of God's free and sovereign grace, preventing all motions, and excluding all merit on our part.
†c. To come in front of, to meet in front; to meet with welcome or succour; to meet with hostility or opposition, to confront. Obs.
1535Coverdale Ps. xvii[i]. 18 They preuented me [R.V. came upon me] in the tyme of my trouble, but y⊇ Lorde was my defence. 1560Bible (Genev.) Job iii. 12 Why did the knees preuent me? and why did I sucke the breastes? 1611― Amos ix. 10 All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, which say: The euill shall not ouertake nor preuent vs.
II.
†5. To forestall, balk, or baffle by previous or precautionary measures. Obs. or merged in 7.
1560Bible (Genev.) Wisd. iv. 7 Thogh the righteous be preuented with death, yet shal he be in rest. 1568Hist. Jacob & Esau v. iv. in Hazl. Dodsley II. 250 Thy brother Jacob came to me by subtlety, And brought me venison, and so prevented thee. 1600J. Pory tr. Leo's Africa iii. 128 The King was preuented by vntimely and sudden death before he could bring his purpose to effect. 1697Potter Antiq. Greece ii. xiv. (1715) 315 Unlucky Omens were..Especially if the Beast prevented the Knife, and dy'd suddenly. 1737Whiston Josephus, Antiq. ii. x. §2 Moses prevented the enemies, and..led his army before those enemies were apprized.
6. To cut off beforehand, debar, preclude (a person or other agent) from, deprive of a purpose, expectation, etc. Now rare or merged in 7.
1549Latimer 1st Serm. bef. Edw. VI (Arb.) 34 How dyd wycked Iesabell preuente kynge Hachabs herte from god and al godlines, and finally vnto destruction. 1586Marlowe 1st Pt. Tamburl. v. ii. 335 As the gods, to end the Trojans' toil Prevented Turnus of Lavinia. 1624Heywood Gunaik. vi. 273 The Consull was prevented of his purpose. 1673Dryden Assignation Ep. Ded., I have declar'd thus much before-hand, to prevent You from Suspicion, that I intend to Interest either your Judgment or your Kindness. 1755B. Martin Mag. Arts & Sc. xv. i. 101, I should scarce regret Death so much on any worldly Account as preventing me of so desirable a Sight. 1813L. Hunt in Examiner 15 Feb. 97/2 A wall prevents me from this sight. 1882W. E. Forster Let. 23 Apr. in 19th Cent. Oct. (1888) 615 To prevent men from the fulfilment of their contracts, or in any way, by boycotting or otherwise, to intimidate them from the full enjoyment of their rights.
7. To stop, keep, or hinder (a person or other agent) from doing something. Often with const. omitted. (The usual word for this sense.)
1663Wood Life 7 July (O.H.S.) I. 480 If not prevented by raine [they] would have rode..before the corps [= corpse] up the street. 1665Manley Grotius' Low C. Warres 604 The Fortifications..were very weak, and the enemy prevented them in perfecting their design. 1674Ashmole Diary (1774) 343 This night Mr. T― was in danger of being robbed, but most strangely prevented. 1711Swift Conduct of Allies Wks. 1765 IX. 104 So great a number of troops..as should be able to..prevent the enemy from erecting their magazines. 1758Blackstone Comm. I. 24 The intention is evidently this; by preventing private teachers within the walls of the city, to collect all the common lawyers into the one public university, which was newly instituted in the suburbs. 1814Cary Dante, Paradise xxxi. 22 Through the universe..celestial light Glides freely, and no obstacle prevents. 1839Keightley Hist. Eng. II. 33 Henry took due precautions to prevent the bull from getting into his dominions. 1875Jowett Plato (ed. 2) V. 352 There is nothing to prevent us from considering..the subject of law.
b. Const. obj. and gerund.
prevent me going appears to be short for prevent me from going, perh. influenced by prevent my going (8 b).
1689Col. Rec. Pennsylv. I. 253 Any Expedient..for preventing ffurther heats arriseing vpon such occasions. 1718J. Fox Wanderer 147 A free Confession..easily prevents a little Error growing to a great Evil. 1765Geo. III Let. to Gen. Conway in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. iii. IV. 379 The only method..by which the French can be prevented settling on the coast of Newfoundland. 1768Sterne Sent. Journ. (1778) I. 134 (Amiens) She had been prevented telling me her story. 1807Southey Let. to N. Lightfoot 24 Apr., Circumstances have prevented me going to Portugal. 1835Whewell in Todhunter Acc. Writ. (1876) II. 216 Sedgwick is prevented joining you by a misfortune in his family. 1867Morley Burke 92 To prevent this becoming a serious affair. 1874G. W. Dasent Half a Life II. 275, I know of no accident that ought to prevent you being in the first class.
8. To provide beforehand against the occurrence of (something); to render (an act or event) impracticable or impossible by anticipatory action; to preclude, stop, hinder. (A chief current sense.)
In the earlier quots. the notion of anticipating or acting previously is generally prominent; in modern use that of frustrating.
1548Elyot, Præcidere causam belli, to preuent and take awaie cleane the occasion of warre. 1624Laud Diary 13 Dec., He prevented his punishment by death. 1669Sturmy Mariner's Mag., Penalties & Forfeit. n ij b, If all concerned had..knowledge of what they should know, they might prevent this loss and damage. 1736Butler Anal. ii. v. Wks. 1874 I. 209 Persons may do a great deal themselves towards preventing the bad consequences of their follies. 1818Cruise Digest (ed. 2) I. 489 To place the legal estate in trustees, on purpose to prevent dower. 1836W. Irving Astoria III. 213 Should any thing occur..to prevent his return. 1863Geo. Eliot Romola xxviii, He ..had produced the very impression he had sought to prevent. 1872Ruskin Eagle's Nest §61 We cannot prevent the religious education of our children more utterly than by beginning it in lies.
b. Const. gerund (or vbl. n.); rarely clause.
1704N. N. tr. Boccalini's Advts. fr. Parnass. II. 174 All the Monarchies in the World..consult in a General Diet how to prevent being Oppress'd by'em. 1769Goldsm. Hist. Rome (1786) I. Pref. 6 It was found no easy matter to prevent crowding the facts. 1841Lane Arab. Nts. I. ii. 112 Thou has prevented my sleeping from the commencement of darkness until morning. 1847Marryat Childr. N. Forest xxi, I shall not prevent your going. 1878Browning La Saisiaz 135 What, forsooth, prevents That..I fulfill of her intents One she had the most at heart?
†9. To keep (something) from befalling oneself; to escape, evade, or avoid by timely action. Obs.
1591Sylvester Du Bartas i. vi. 245 Th'hast not onely lent Prudence to Man, the Perils to prevent, Wherewith these foes threaten his feeble life. 1598W. Phillip Linschoten 168/1 The cloud came with a most horrible storme, and fell vppon them before they coulde preuent it. 1632Lithgow Trav. x. 439 To conclude this Epitome of France, three things I wish the way-faring man to preuent there. 1705Hickeringill Priest-cr. ii. Wks. 1716 III. 87 Fox..had the Wit to keep his own Fingers out of the Fire, and prevent the Honour of dying a Martyr. 1710Shaftesbury Charac. (1737) I. iii. i. 290 The surest method to prevent good sense, is to set up something in the room of it.
†10. To frustrate, defeat, bring to nought, render void or nugatory (an expectation, plan, etc.). Obs.
1555Lydgate's Chron. Troy Address to Rdr., To preuent the malice of suche, as shal happlye accompte my trauayle herein rather rashe presumpcyon. 1616Sir C. Mountagu in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.) I. 248 The putting off of the arraignments spent much money and prevented most men's expectations. 1622Bacon Hen. VII 4 Which if it had beene true, had preuented the Title of the Lady Elizabeth. a1652Brome Queenes Exchange iv. i. Wks. 1873 III. 523 All our art, And the Kings policy will be prevented.
†11. intr. or absol. To use preventive measures. Usually with extension, that..not, but that. Obs.
1600W. Watson Decacordon (1602) 303 Doth it not stand her in hand to preuent that the number of catholiks do not increase? 1601Shakes. Jul. C. ii. i. 28 So Cæsar may; Then least he may, preuent. 1656Earl of Monmouth tr. Boccalini's Advts. fr. Parnass. i. xiv. (1674) 17 It was impossible to prevent, but that a pair of shooes..should in process of time become torn. 1723Present St. Russia II. 122 The Design..was, to prevent that no body might be sent to meet me.
III. †12. causative. To hasten, bring about or put before the time or prematurely; to anticipate.
1548Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Matt. xxvi. 116 As preuentyng the honour of his burial. 1553Brende Q. Curtius viii. 54 Whyche counte it the most gloryous thyng to preuente their awne deathe. 1654Whitlock Zootomia 230 Such as are of this nature, prevent the Worlds Doome, and their own, not staying for the general Conflagration, but beginning it. a1683Oldham Sunday Th. in Sickness Wks. (1686) 59 Fear is like to prevent and do the work of my Distemper.
†13. To take possession of or occupy beforehand; fig. to employ before another person. Obs.
1577–87Holinshed Chron. I. 73/1 Preuenting euerie conuenient place where the barbarous people might lie in wait to doo mischiefe. Ibid. 148/1 Thus like a worthie prince and politike gouernor, he preuented each way to resist the force of his enimies, and to safegard his subiects.
†b. To preoccupy, prejudice (a person's mind).
1551Robinson tr. More's Utop. (1895) 97 Whose myndes be all reddye preuented with cleane contrarye persuasyons. 1654tr. Martini's Conq. China 56 Rather..[not to] accuse the least default in his Sovereign's judgement, though prevented, by very unjust impressions. 1704Hearne Duct. Hist. (1714) I. 143 Without labouring to prevent the Minds of People by a studious Excuse. 1718J. Chamberlayne Relig. Philos. (1730) Ded., Endeavouring to prevent your Lordship in Favour of my Author.
Hence preˈvented ppl. a.
1605Bacon Adv. Learn. ii. xvii. §4 In this same anticipated and prevented knowledge, no man knoweth how he came to the knowledge which he hath obtained. |