Prevent

v. t. [imp. & p. p. PREVENTED; p. pr. & vb. n. PREVENTING.] [Lat. prævenire, præventum, from præ, before, and venire, to come; It. prævenire, Sp. & Pr. prævenir, Fr. prévenir. Cf. PREVENE.]

1Sense 1. To go before; to precede. [Obs.]

No man, therefore, can prevent the Spirit, in doing good. Pymdale.

2Sense 2. To be beforehand with; to get the start of; to anticipate; to forestall. [Obs.] “Their ready guilt preventing thy commands.” Pope.

Your messenger prevented mine but an hour. Bp. Taylor.

3Sense 3. To intercept and stop; to hinder; to obstruct; to impede; to thwart.

Perhaps forestalling night prevented him. Milton.