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Efficacious in preventing or allaying fever. -- n.

Anything of use in preventing or healing burns or pyrosis.

Prevention of sepsis by excluding or destroying microorganisms.

A substance which prevents or retards putrefaction, or destroys, or protects from, putrefactive organisms; as, salt, carbolic acid, alcohol, cinchona.

Counteracting or preventing putrefaction, or a putrescent tendency in the system; antiputrefactive. Antiseptic surgery, that system of surgical practice which insists upon a systematic use of antiseptics in the performance of operations and the dressing of wounds.

A medicine which prevents or allays spasms or convulsions.

Preventing the contagion of smallpox.

Preventing fermentation.

Preventing fermentation or decomposition. -- n.

n which, as a joke, the sheets are so doubled (like the cover of an apple turnover) as to prevent any one from getting at his length between them. Halliwell, Conybeare. -- Apple-pie order, perfect order or arrangement. [Colloq.] Halliwell.

r to receive and apply the magnetic force. In the ordinary horseshoe magnet, it serves to prevent the dissipation of the magnetic force.

A small dam to prevent free passage of water in an adit or level.

good matter of discharge has subsequently accrued which could not have been availed of to prevent such judgment. Wharton.

To turn aside, or away; as, to avert the eyes from an object; to ward off, or prevent, the occurrence or effects of; as, how can the danger be averted "To avert his ire." Milton. When atheists and profane persons do hear of so many discordant and contrary opinions in religion, it doth avert them from the church. Bacon.…

Capable of being averted; preventable.

win. -- To back the oars, to row backward with the oars. -- To back a rope, to put on a preventer. -- To back the sails, to arrange them so as to cause the ship to move astern. -- To back up, to support; to sustain; as, to back up one's friends. -- To back a warrant (Law), is for a justice of the peace, in the cou…

A board attached to the rim of a water wheel to prevent the water from running off the floats or paddies into the interior of the wheel. W. Nicholson.

A rope or strap used to prevent excessive forward motion.

stone, iron, etc., put into the hold to sink a vessel in the water to such a depth as to prevent capsizing.

Anything which obstructs, hinders, or prevents; an obstruction; a barrier. Must I new bars to my own joy create Dryden.