PREVAIL

prevail

(verb) use persuasion successfully; “He prevailed upon her to visit his parents”

prevail, triumph

(verb) prove superior; “The champion prevailed, though it was a hard fight”

predominate, dominate, rule, reign, prevail

(verb) be larger in number, quantity, power, status or importance; “Money reigns supreme here”; “Hispanics predominate in this neighborhood”

prevail, persist, die hard, run, endure

(verb) continue to exist; “These stories die hard”; “The legend of Elvis endures”

prevail, hold, obtain

(verb) be valid, applicable, or true; “This theory still holds”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Verb

prevail (third-person singular simple present prevails, present participle prevailing, simple past and past participle prevailed)

(intransitive) To be superior in strength, dominance, influence or frequency; to have or gain the advantage over others; to have the upper hand; to outnumber others.

(intransitive) To be current, widespread or predominant; to have currency or prevalence.

(intransitive) To succeed in persuading or inducing.

(transitive, obsolete) To avail.

Anagrams

• pervial

Source: Wiktionary


Pre*vail", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Prevailed; p. pr. & vb. n. Prevailing.] Etym: [F. prévaloir, OF. prevaleir, L. praevalere; prae before + valere to be strong, able, or worth. See Valiant.]

1. To overcome; to gain the victory or superiority; to gain the advantage; to have the upper hand, or the mastery; to succeed; -- sometimes with over or against. When Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. Ex. xvii. 11. So David prevailed over the Philistine. 1 Sam. xvii. 50. This kingdom could never prevail against the united power of England. Swift.

2. To be in force; to have effect, power, or influence; to be predominant; to have currency or prevalence; to obtain; as, the practice prevails this day. This custom makes the short-sighted bigots, and the warier skeptics, as far as it prevails. Locke.

3. To persuade or induce; -- with on, upon, or with; as, I prevailedon him to wait. He was prevailed with to restrain the Earl. Clarendon. Prevail upon some judicious friend to be your constant hearer, and allow him the utmost freedom. Swift.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

23 November 2024

THEORETICAL

(adjective) concerned primarily with theories or hypotheses rather than practical considerations; “theoretical science”


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Coffee Trivia

Coffee dates back to the 9th century. Goat herders in Ethiopia noticed their goats seem to be “dancing” after eating berries from a particular shrub. They reported it to the local monastery, and a monk made a drink out of it. The monk found out he felt energized and kept him awake at night. That’s how the first coffee drink was born.

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