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To prevail on; to induce; to persuade. Get him to say his prayers. Shak.

melancholy; aspect of sorrow; low spirits; dullness. A sullen gloom and furious disorder prevailed by fits. Burke.

round. [R.] "Evening mist . . . gathers ground fast." Milton. There is no way for duty to prevail, and get ground of them, but by bidding higher. South. -- To give ground, to recede; to yield advantage. These nine . . . began to give me ground. Shak. --To lose ground, to retire; to retreat; to withdraw from the positio…

A dry, hot wind, prevailing on the Atlantic coast of Africa, in December, January, and February, blowing from the interior or Sahara. It is usually accompanied by a haze which obscures the sun.

That part of the world where heathenism prevails; the heathen nations, considered collectively.

The dialect, formed with slight variations from the Attic, which prevailed among Greek writers after the time of Alexander.

iom, the Greek spoken or used by the Jews who lived in countries where the Greek language prevailed; the Jewish-Greek dialect or idiom of the Septuagint.

ho holds to a heresy; one who believes some doctrine contrary to the established faith or prevailing religion. A man that is an heretic, after the first and second admonition, reject. Titus iii. 10.

ting in reverence for the Supreme Being; as, an impious deed; impious language. When vice prevails, and impious men bear away, The post of honor is a private station. Addison.

To lead on; to influence; to prevail on; to incite; to move by persuasion or influence. Shak. He is not obliged by your offer to do it, . . . though he may be induced, persuaded, prevailed upon, tempted. Paley. Let not the covetous desire of growing rich induce you to ruin your reputation. Dryden.

being infected; contamination by morbific particles; the result of infecting influence; a prevailing disease; epidemic. The danger was really very great, the infection being so very violent in London. De Foe.

One who does not believe in the prevailing religious faith; especially, one who does not believe in the divine origin and authority of Christianity; a Mohammedan; a heathen; a freethinker.

octrines, observances, or methods of the Jews; to inculcate or impose Judaism. They . . . prevailed on the Galatians to Judaize so far as to observe the rites of Moses in various instances. They were Judaizing doctors, who taught the observation of the Mosaic law. Bp. Bull.

A modified form of Buddhism which prevails in Thibet, Mongolia, and some adjacent parts of Asia; -- so called from the name of its priests. See 2d Lama.

tions in respect to the authority, government, and doctrines of the church than generally prevailed. They were called "men of latitude;" and upon this, men of narrow thoughts fastened upon them the name of latitudinarians. Bp. Burnet.

ntries into which that law has been introduced. The civil law, instead of the common law, prevails in the State of Louisiana. Wharton. -- Commercial law. See Law merchant (below). -- Common law. See under Common. -- Criminal law, that branch of jurisprudence which relates to crimes. -- Ecclesiastical law. See under…

To draw or direct by influence, whether good or bad; to prevail on; to induce; to entice; to allure; as, to lead one to espouse a righteous cause. He was driven by the necessities of the times, more than led by his own disposition, to any rigor of actions. Eikon Basilike. Silly women, laden with sins,led away by divers…

Majuscule writing, writing composed wholly of capital letters, especially the style which prevailed in Europe from the third to the sixth century.

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.