prevent, hinder

prevent, hinder
These words are related, but prevent is a stronger word than hinder. When you prevent something, you stop it; when you hinder something, you slow or delay it. When something is prevented, it is effectively halted and rendered impossible: "Do not prevent us from going." "This treaty is designed to prevent war between our countries." To hinder is to delay progress: "Such interruptions will only hinder our reaching a solution." Related words are obstruct, impede, thwart, obviate, forestall, hamper, retard, block, and balk. Both prevent and hinder are often followed by a gerund: "prevent his going," "hinder his going." In such a construction, a noun or pronoun preceding the gerund is preferably in the possessive case; "prevent (or hinder) him going" is nonstandard, his is standard: "They tried to prevent Jock's leaving (not Jock leaving) the team."

Dictionary of problem words and expressions. . 1975.

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  • hinder — See prevent. See prevent, hinder …   Dictionary of problem words and expressions

  • prevent — See prevent, hinder …   Dictionary of problem words and expressions

  • prevent — 1 Prevent, anticipate, forestall can mean to be or get ahead of or to deal with beforehand, with reference especially to a thing s due time or to its actual occurrence or to the action of another. Prevent implies frustration (as of an intention… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Hinder — Hin der, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Hindered}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Hindering}.] [OE. hindren, hinderen, AS. hindrian, fr. hinder behind; akin to D. hinderen, G. hindern, OHG. hintar?n, Icel. & Sw. hindra, Dan. hindre. See {Hinder}, a.] 1. To keep back or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • hinder — vb Hinder, impede, obstruct, block, bar, dam all mean to put obstacles in the way of a person or thing or of his or its action. To hinder is to check or hold back someone or something in action or about to act, move, or start; the term usually… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • prevent — I verb arrest, avert, avoid, baffle, balk, bar, block, check, checkmate, circumvent, contest, counter, counteract, countercheck, cut off, debar, defeat, deflect, delay, detain, deter, discourage, estop, fend off, foil, forbid, foreclose,… …   Law dictionary

  • prevent — (v.) early 15c., to act in anticipation of, from L. praeventus, pp. of praevenire come before, anticipate, hinder, in L.L. also to prevent, from prae before (see PRE (Cf. pre )) + venire to come (see VENUE (Cf. venue)). Originally literal; sense… …   Etymology dictionary

  • hinder — I verb annoy, arrest, barricade, be an impediment, be an obstacle, block, bother, check, clog, constrain, cramp, cripple, curb, detain, discommode, discourage, encumber, fetter, get in the way, halt, hamper, hamstring, handicap, hold back, impair …   Law dictionary

  • Prevent — Pre*vent , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Prevented}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Preventing}.] [L. praevenire, praeventum; prae before + venire to come. See {Come}.] 1. To go before; to precede; hence, to go before as a guide; to direct. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] We… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • hinder — hinder1 [hin′dər] vt. [ME hindren < OE hindrian, lit., to keep or hold back (akin to Ger hindern) < base of HINDER2] 1. to keep back; restrain; get in the way of; prevent; stop 2. to make difficult for; thwart; impede; frustrate vi. to… …   English World dictionary

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