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ngredient. Cicero doubts whether it were possible for a community to exist that had not a prevailing mixture of piety in its constitution. Addison.

Prevailing popular custom; fashion, especially in the phrase the mode. The easy, apathetic graces of a man of the mode. Macaulay.

Prevailing among the people; epidemic; as, a popular disease. [Obs.] Johnson. Popular action (Law), an action in which any person may sue for penalty imposed by statute. Blackstone.

Having the ascendency over others; superior in strength, influence, or authority; prevailing; as, a predominant color; predominant excellence. Those help . . . were predominant in the king's mind. Bacon. Foul subordination is predominant. Shak.

Having superior influence or power; prevailing; predominant. [R.] Boyle.

Gaining advantage or superiority; having superior force, influence, or efficacy; prevailing; predominant; successful; victorious. Brennus told the Roman embassadors, that prevalent arms were as good as any title. Sir W. Raleigh.

it when he tills the soil. Pope. Price current, or Price list, a statement or list of the prevailing prices of merchandise, stocks, specie, bills of exchange, etc., published statedly or occasionally.

Mode or system of rule or management; character of government, or of the prevailing social system. I dream . . . of the new régime which is to come. H. Kingsley.

Prevailing; prevalent; abounding. Before the plague of London, inflammations of the lungs were rife and mortal. Arbuthnot. Even now the tumult of loud mirth Was rife, and perfect in may listening ear. Milton.

The middle latitudes of the southern hemisphere. So called from the boisterous and prevailing westerly winds, which are especially strong in the South Indian Ocean up to 50º S.

the debased style of the later Roman empire, but esp. to the more developed architecture prevailing from the 8th century to the 12th.

Colored a prevailing red, bay, or black, with flecks of white or gray especially on the flanks; -- said of horses. Smart.

A thicket or jungle, often specified by the name of the prevailing plant; as, oak scrub, palmetto scrub, etc.

parated itself from established church, or which holds tenets different from those of the prevailing denomination in a state.

he was a dogmatist. He was a skeptic; that is, he accepted the principles asserted by the prevailing dogmatism: and only showed that such and such conclusions were, on these principles, inevitable. Sir W. Hamilton.

To affect in a certain way with a smile. [R.] And sharply smile prevailing folly dead. Young.

ly flattering. -- Syc"o*phant`ish*ly, adv. Sycophantish satirists that forever humor the prevailing folly. De Quincey.

One who temporizes; one who yields to the time, or complies with the prevailing opinions, fashions, or occasions; a trimmer. A sort of temporizers, ready to embrace and maintain all that is, or shall be, proposed, in hope of preferment. Burton.

One who complies with prevailing opinions, whatever they may be; a timeserver. Timepleasers, flatterers, foes to nobleness. Shak.

The prevailing fashion or mode; vogue; as, things of ton. Byron. If our people of ton are selfish, at any rate they show they are selfish. Thackeray. Bon ton. See in the Vocabulary.