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Definition of prevent verb from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

  

prevent

 verb
verb
NAmE//prɪˈvɛnt//
 
Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they prevent
 
he / she / it prevents
 
past simple prevented
 
-ing form preventing
 
 
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 to stop someone from doing something; to stop something from happening prevent something/somebody The accident could have been prevented. The government took steps to prevent a scandal. prevent somebody/something from doing something He is prevented by law from holding a license. Nothing would prevent him from speaking out against injustice.
preventable
 
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NAmE//prɪˈvɛntəbl//
 
adjective preventable diseases/accidentsSee prevent in the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
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