English
Etymology
From L. prævalere.

Pronunciation
audio|en-us-prevail.ogg|Audio (US)
Rhymes: Rhymes:English:-eɪl|-eɪl

Verb
en-verb

1. intransitive To be superior in strength, dominance, influence or frequency; to have or gain the advantage over others; to have the upper hand; to outnumber others.

#: Red colour prevails in the Canadian flag.

1. intransitive To be current, widespread or predominant; to have currency or prevalence.

#: In his day and age, such practices prevailed all over Europe.

1. intransitive To succeed in persuade|persuading or induce|inducing.

#: I prevailed on him to wait.

Related terms
prevalence
prevalent

Translations
trans-top|To be superior in strength, dominance, influence or frequency; to have or gain the advantage over others; to have the upper hand
Czech: p�evládat
trans-mid
trans-bottom

trans-top|To be current, widespread or predominant; to have currency or prevalence
Czech: p�evládat
trans-mid
trans-bottom

trans-top|To succeed in persuading or inducing
Finnish: taivutella, suostutella
trans-mid
trans-bottom

Translations to be checked
checktrans

ttbc|German: die Vorherrschaft erringen (over über) (1), sich durchsetzen (against gegen) (1), vorherrschen (2)
ttbc|Spanish: prevalecer
ttbc|Portuguese: prevalecer

References
R:Century 1911
R:Webster 1913

fa:prevail
io:prevail
pl:prevail
fi:prevail
te:prevail
vi:prevail
zh:prevail

• 2007-11-20 10:45 - 16@r - +etym

Full Revision History