English

Verb

prævent ‎(third-person singular simple present prævents, present participle præventing, simple past and past participle prævented)

1. Obsolete spelling of prevent
   • 1842, David Laing, The Letters and Journals of Robert Baillie, A.M, Principal of the University of Glasgow. M.DC.XXXVII.—M.DC.LXII. : “(K.) For the Right Reverend Mr. Robert Bailye, Professor of Divinity in Glasgow.²”, volume third [sic], page 341

     It is known what endeavours I uſit to prævent the paſſing of it; and, if our freinds had been in the Houſe, or, as the Houſe was at that time conſtituted, had that buſines been carried by reaſon, and not by violence and faction, the motioning of it had been explodit with ſhame.

   • 1848, John Lauder and David Laing; Historical Notices of Scotish Affairs: Selected from the Manuscripts of Sir John Lauder of Fountainhall, Bart.; volume first 1661–1683 [sic]; № 179, p. 68; page 224

     And it ware to be wiſhed that we had ſuch a ſtatute made with us, as I find they have in England, viz. Act 27, anno 21 Jacobi 1. Regis, viz. that I ſhall be murder for the mother not to call for help, or to conceall the death of hir baſtard child; which would prævent exceedingly the deſtroying of children, if theſſe violent preſumptions ware once made eneugh, vide ſupra, page 25, in the caſe of one Knox.

   • 1900, Henry Charles Beeching, The Poetical Works of John Milton, page 63, lines 571–573 [of an unknown poem] (The Clarendon Press)

     Where that damn’d wisard hid in sly disguise
     

     (For so by certain signes I knew) had met
     

     Already, ere my best speed could prævent,

   • 1926, Joseph Robson Tanner, Private Correspondence and Miscellaneous Papers of Samuel Pepys, 1679–1703, pages 105 and 176

     […] and little did I, or perhaps either hee or you thinke (any more than my selfe) 10 months since, that it should have fallen to my share to prævent him in doeing this office first for mee […]

     […]

     But though it bee very unlucky, and being what you could not well prævent, as haveing nothing before you but publique bruite to reckon by […]