PREVAILING • E-FREE TRANSLATION.COM • Definition of Prevailing

Add this Dictionary
to your website!
See more options...

/prɪvˈeɪlɪŋ/ /privˈeɪlɪŋ/ Listen

verb

Prevail v. i. (past & past part. prevailed; pres. part. prevailing)

To overcome; to gain the victory or superiority; to gain the advantage; to have the upper hand, or the mastery; to succeed; sometimes with over or against. "When Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed." "So David prevailed over the Philistine." "This kingdom could never prevail against the united power of England."

To be in force; to have effect, power, or influence; to be predominant; to have currency or prevalence; to obtain; as, the practice prevails this day. "This custom makes the short-sighted bigots, and the warier skeptics, as far as it prevails."

To persuade or induce; with on, upon, or with; as, I prevailedon him to wait. "He was prevailed with to restrain the Earl." "Prevail upon some judicious friend to be your constant hearer, and allow him the utmost freedom."

adjective

Prevailing adj.

Having superior force or influence; efficacious; persuasive. "Saints shall assist thee with prevailing prayers."

Predominant; prevalent; most general; as, the prevailing disease of a climate; a prevailing opinion.

Synonyms: Syn. See Prevalent.

See images of 'Prevailing'

Etymology of 'Prevailing'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

Share |

"Prevailing" Quotes from Famous Books

... pick out the right one every time." Despite this enthusiasm, in publishing circles it was considered impossible to continue the sale of these attractive Hand Bound Limp books, printed in large clear type on good paper, at any price under the usual and prevailing price charged for the more cheaply made current fiction, which is now about Two Dollars a volume. But the large number of intelligent book buyers, a much larger group than is generally supposed has not only made possible the continuation of this fine series at the low price of Ninety-five ...

— Mary, Mary • James Stephens

... sometimes in the sensuality alone, by reason of the opposition of the flesh to the spirit, and then it is a venial sin; whereas sometimes it reaches to the reason, which consents in the dislike, horror and detestation of the Divine good, on account of the flesh utterly prevailing over the spirit. In this case it is evident that ...

— Summa Theologica, Part II-II (Secunda Secundae) • Thomas Aquinas

... beaten track of art-studies, the clearer it was to me that he who would secure an abiding success in art must be a blind copyist of nature. Certainly the personal peculiarities of an artist often please his contemporaries. It is the fashion to do him honor if he flatters the prevailing direction of taste. But those of the race who follow after, scorn what those before them have admired, and exactly what those of one time have prized as progressive innovations, they who come after reject ...

— The Malady of the Century • Max Nordau

... so much in the body of water falling, or the loud noise, as in the bold character of the rocks over and amongst which it fell. Their colour and shape were harmonized into a more complete scene than nature usually presents, resembling the finished subject of an artist, foreground and all. The prevailing hues were light red and purple-grey, the rocks being finely interlaced with a small-leaved creeper of the brightest green. A dark-coloured moss, which presents a warm green in the sun, covered the lower masses and relieved and supported the brighter hues, while a ...

— Three Expeditions into the Interior of Eastern Australia, Vol 2 (of 2) • Thomas Mitchell

... furniture of the room. The trimming consists of an embroidered border, lined with glazed calico, and put on round the edge; the lower part of the border is trimmed with a woollen fringe. The shades selected should correspond with the prevailing colour of ...

— Beeton's Book of Needlework • Isabella Beeton

More quotes...