Part 522

Brennus told the Roman embassadors, that prevalent arms were as good as any title.

Sir W. Raleigh.

2. Most generally received or current; most widely adopted or practiced; also, generally or extensively existing; widespread; prevailing; as, a prevalent observance; prevalent disease.

This was the most received and prevalent opinion.

Woodward.

Syn. -- Prevailing; predominant; successful; efficacious; powerful. -- Prevalent, Prevailing. What customarily prevails is prevalent; as, a prevalent fashion. What actually prevails is prevailing; as, the prevailing winds are west. Hence, prevailing is the livelier and more pointed word, since it represents a thing in action. It is sometimes the stronger word, since a thing may prevail sufficiently to be called prevalent, and yet require greater strength to make it actually prevailing.

Prev"a*lent"ly, adv. In a prevalent manner. Prior.

Pre*var"i*cate (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Prevaricated (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Prevaricating.] [L. praevaricatus, p. p. of praevaricari to walk crookedly, to collude; prae before + varicare to straddle, fr. varicus straddling, varus bent. See Varicose.] 1. To shift or turn from one side to the other, from the direct course, or from truth; to speak with equivocation; to shuffle; to quibble; as, he prevaricates in his statement.

He prevaricates with his own understanding.

South.

2. (Civil Law) To collude, as where an informer colludes with the defendant, and makes a sham prosecution.

3. (Eng. Law) To undertake a thing falsely and deceitfully, with the purpose of defeating or destroying it.

Syn. -- To evade; equivocate; quibble; shuffle. -- Prevaricate, Evade, Equivocate. One who evades a question ostensibly answers it, but really turns aside to some other point. He who equivocate uses words which have a double meaning, so that in one sense he can claim to have said the truth, though he does in fact deceive, and intends to do it. He who prevaricates talks all round the question, hoping to "dodge" it, and disclose nothing.

Pre*var"i*cate, v. t. To evade by a quibble; to transgress; to pervert. [Obs.] Jer. Taylor.

Pre*var`i*ca"tion (?), n. [L. praevaricatio: cf. F. prÈvarication.] 1. The act of prevaricating, shuffling, or quibbling, to evade the truth or the disclosure of truth; a deviation from the truth and fair dealing.

The august tribunal of the skies, where no prevarication shall avail.

Cowper.

2. A secret abuse in the exercise of a public office.

3. (Law) (a) (Roman Law) The collusion of an informer with the defendant, for the purpose of making a sham prosecution. (b) (Common Law) A false or deceitful seeming to undertake a thing for the purpose of defeating or destroying it. Cowell.

Pre*var"i*ca`tor (?), n. [L. praevaricator: cf. F. prÈvaricateur.] 1. One who prevaricates.

2. (Roman Law) A sham dealer; one who colludes with a defendant in a sham prosecution.

3. One who betrays or abuses a trust. Prynne.

Preve (?), v. i. & i. To prove. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Preve, n. Proof. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Prev"e*nance (?), n. [F. prÈvenance.] (Metaph.) A going before; anticipation in sequence or order. "The law of prevenance is simply the well-known law of phenomenal sequence." Ward.

Prev"e*nan*cy (?), n. The act of anticipating another's wishes, desires, etc., in the way of favor or courtesy; hence, civility; obligingness. [Obs.] Sterne.

Pre*vene" (?), v. t. & i. [F. prÈvenir, L. praevenire. See Prevent.] To come before; to anticipate; hence, to hinder; to prevent. [Obs.] Philips.

Pre*ven"i*ence (?; 106), n. The act of going before; anticipation. [R.]