Prevented
/prɪˈventɪd/
Definitions
To keep something from happening; to stop something from occurring.
/prɪˈvent/
To stop something from happening.
The rain prevented us from having a picnic.
💡 Simply: Prevented means to stop something from happening. Think of it like putting a gate in front of a runaway ball to keep it from rolling into the street.
👶 For kids: To stop something from happening.
More Examples
The new laws aim to prevent crime.
She took precautions to prevent the spread of the virus.
How It's Used
"Vaccinations help prevent the spread of diseases."
"The judge took measures to prevent further misconduct."
"We tried to prevent the accident, but it was too late."
Idioms & expressions
prevention is better than cure
It is better to stop something bad from happening than to try to fix it after it has happened.
"The company invested in security measures because prevention is better than cure."
From Middle French *prévenir* (to come before, anticipate), from Latin *praevenire* (to come before, precede, anticipate), from *prae-* (before) + *venire* (to come).
The word 'prevent' has been used since the 15th century, initially with a broader meaning of 'to go before' or 'anticipate' before settling into its current primary definition.
Memory tip
Imagine a police officer standing in front of a crime scene. Their job is to PREVENT the crime from taking place.
Word Origin
"to come before, precede, anticipate"