| ahead of time |
If you do something ahead of time, you do it before some event that is going to happen. Sometimes you have to do something ahead of time so that you can be ready for the actual event when it happens. Sometimes you have to do something ahead of time in order to prevent any problems. |
| antibiotic |
substance derived from fungi or other organisms and used to destroy or prevent the growth of bacteria or other disease-causing organisms. |
| avert |
to keep from happening; prevent. [1/2 definitions] |
| bench |
to remove from or prevent from playing in a sports contest. [1/4 definitions] |
| blindfold |
a bandage or cloth tied over the eyes to prevent seeing. [1/2 definitions] |
| buoy |
a float used to prevent someone from drowning. [1/3 definitions] |
| choke |
to stop or prevent the breathing of by squeezing or blocking the windpipe. [1/4 definitions] |
| civil war |
When Americans talk about the Civil War and use capital letters for it in writing, they mean the war that happened in the United States between 1861 and 1865. In this war, Southern states and Northern states fought against each other. Southern states wanted to break away from the United States and have their own country in which they could continue to make their own laws about slavery. The Northern states fought the war to prevent them from leaving the United States. [1/2 definitions] |
| defense |
in sports, action or ability to prevent the opposite team from scoring or getting an advantage. [1/5 definitions] |
| dike |
a dam or high wall built to prevent flooding. [1/2 definitions] |
| discourage |
to try to prevent or persuade not to do. [1/2 definitions] |
| disguise |
to change or hide the looks of in order to prevent recognition. [1/4 definitions] |
| excuse |
An excuse is a reason that you invent to escape being punished or to prevent other people from being angry or upset with you. [1/5 definitions] |
| field hockey |
Field hockey is a type of hockey. It is a game played by two teams on a grass field. Players hit a ball with a special stick and try to score points by hitting the ball over the surface of the grass and into the other team's goal at one end of the field. Players from the other team try to prevent scoring by their opponents and try to get the ball into the goal at the opposite end. |
| fire department |
a part of a city or town government that works to prevent and put out fires, or the people who work for it. |
| fluorine |
a substance that is a chemical element. Fluorine combines easily with other elements to form compounds. Some of these compounds are used to prevent tooth decay. Fluorine is poisonous in its pure gas form. (symbol: F) |
| forbid |
to give orders that prevent or prohibit. |
| frustrate |
to prevent from happening or being done. [1/2 definitions] |
| gag1 |
to prevent from speaking or crying out by putting something across or inside the mouth. [2/3 definitions] |
| goalie |
A goalie is a certain type of player in soccer, hockey, or other sports that have a special place called a "goal" at each end of the playing area. The job of the goalie is to prevent the ball or puck from getting into the goal. If a player from the opposite team sends the puck or ball into the goal, their team will score. Another word for "goalie" is "goalkeeper." |
| guard |
to do what is necessary to prevent (followed by "against"). [2/6 definitions] |