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exercise of a faculty; the employment of strength; the exercise of any kind of control; influence; dominion; sway; command; government. Power is no blessing in itself but when it is employed to protect the innocent. Swift.

To render practical. [R.] "Practicalizing influences." J. S. Mill.

The superior influence of a planet. Shak.

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.

To be superior in number, strength, influence, or authority; to have controlling power or influence; to prevail; to rule; to have the mastery; as, love predominated in her heart. [Certain] rays may predominate over the rest. Sir. I. Newton.

Influenced by prejudice; biased. [R.] " With not too hasty and prejudicant ears." Milton.

To bring under the influence of prelacy. Palfrey.

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

The quality or state of being preponderant; superiority or excess of weight, influence, or power, etc.; an outweighing. The mind should . . . reject or receive proportionably to the preponderancy of the greater grounds of probability. Locke. In a few weeks he had changed the relative position of all the states in Europ…

ht; hence, to incline or descend, as the scale of a balance; figuratively, to exceed in influence, power, etc.; hence; to incline to one side; as, the affirmative side preponderated. That is no just balance in which the heaviest side will not preponderate. Bp. Wilkins.

Very powerful; superior in force, influence, or authority; predominant. Plaifere.

To influence by long use [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

The place in which one is present; the part of space within one's ken, call, influence, etc.; neighborhood without the intervention of anything that forbids intercourse. Wrath shell be no more Thenceforth, but in thy presence joy entire. Milton.

To exercise very powerful or irresistible influence upon or over; to constrain; to force; to compel. Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ. Acts xviii. 5.

Weight or influence derived from past success; expectation of future achievements founded on those already accomplished; force or charm derived from acknowledged character or reputation. "The prestige of his name must go for something." Sir G. C. Lewis.

To be in force; to have effect, power, or influence; to be predominant; to have currency or prevalence; to obtain; as, the practice prevails this day. This custom makes the short-sighted bigots, and the warier skeptics, as far as it prevails. Locke.

Having superior force or influence; efficacious; persuasive. Shak. Saints shall assist thee with prevailing prayers. Rowe.

Prevalence; superior influence; efficacy. [Obs.] Shak.

The quality or condition of being prevalent; superior strength, force, or influence; general existence, reception, or practice; wide extension; as, the prevalence of virtue, of a fashion, or of a disease; the prevalence of a rumor. The duke better knew what kind of argument were of prevalence with him. Clarendon.…

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.