prevail

prevail
[[t]prɪve͟ɪl[/t]]
prevails, prevailing, prevailed
1) VERB If a proposal, principle, or opinion prevails, it gains influence or is accepted, often after a struggle or argument.

We hope that common sense would prevail...

Rick still believes that justice will prevail...

[V over n] Political and personal ambitions are starting to prevail over economic interests.

Syn:
2) VERB If a situation, attitude, or custom prevails in a particular place at a particular time, it is normal or most common in that place at that time.

A similar situation prevails in America.

...the confusion which had prevailed at the time of the revolution...

[V-ing] How people in a certain era bury their dead says much about the prevailing attitudes toward death.

3) VERB If one side in a battle, contest, or dispute prevails, it wins.

He appears to have the votes he needs to prevail...

[V over/against n] I do hope he will prevail over the rebels.

Syn:
be victorious
4) VERB If you prevail upon someone to do something, you succeed in persuading them to do it. [FORMAL]

[V upon/on n to-inf] We must, each of us, prevail upon our congressman to act...

[V upon/on n to-inf] Do you think she could be prevailed upon to do those things?


English dictionary. 2008.

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  • prevail — pre‧vail [prɪˈveɪl] verb [intransitive] formal 1. if someone or their arguments, views etc prevail, they finally win an argument after a long period of time: • The company is hoping to prevail in a court challenge to the water board ruling.… …   Financial and business terms

  • prevail — pre·vail /pri vāl/ vi 1: to obtain substantially the relief or action sought in a lawsuit 2: to be frequent or predominant the prevail ing rate Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996 …   Law dictionary

  • prevail — [prē vāl′, privāl′] vi. [ME prevaylen < L praevalere < prae , before (see PRE ) + valere, to be strong: see VALUE] 1. to gain the advantage or mastery; be victorious; triumph: often with over or against 2. to produce or achieve the desired… …   English World dictionary

  • Prevail — Pre*vail , v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Prevailed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Prevailing}.] [F. pr[ e]valoir, 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… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Prevail — may refer to: *Prevail (musician), a hip hop artist from Vancouver *Prevail (album), an album by death metal band Kataklysm …   Wikipedia

  • prevail on — prevail upon / prevail on [v] persuade, influence affect, argue into, bring around, convince, crack, dispose, draw, get, get around, impress, incline, induce, promote, prompt, put across, ram down throat*, sell*, suck in*, sway, talk into, win… …   New thesaurus

  • prevail — ► VERB 1) prove more powerful; be victorious. 2) (prevail on/upon) persuade to do something. 3) be widespread or current. DERIVATIVES prevailing adjective. ORIGIN Latin praevalere have greater power …   English terms dictionary

  • prevail on — index govern Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • prevail on — prevail (up)on (Roget s Thesaurus II) verb To succeed in causing (a person) to act in a certain way: argue into, bring, bring around (or round), convince, get, induce, persuade, sell (on), talk into. See PERSUASION …   English dictionary for students

  • prevail — (v.) late 14c., from L. praevalere have greater power, from prae before (see PRE (Cf. pre )) + valere have power, be strong (see VALIANT (Cf. valiant)). Related: Prevailed; prevailing …   Etymology dictionary

  • prevail\ on — • prevail (up)on v To bring to an act or belief; cause a change in; persuade. He prevailed upon the musician to entertain instead of the absent speaker. He prevailed upon me to believe in his innocence …   Словарь американских идиом

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