31 uses
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Definition
to stop (something from happening)
- The heavy rain would have prevented her from going since; but there was another reason.7.5 — Book 7 Chapter 5 — The Last Conflict (10% in)
- But she had forgotten all about the fish, and was looking dreamily at the glassy water, when Tom said, in a loud whisper, "Look, look, Maggie!" and came running to prevent her from snatching her line away.1.5 — Book 1 Chapter 5 — Tom Comes Home (83% in)
- She would willingly have given it to him, for she was not at all attached to her thimble; but the idea that she was among thieves prevented her from feeling any comfort in the revival of deference and attention toward her; all thieves, except Robin Hood, were wicked people.1.11 — Book 1 Chapter 11 — Maggie Tries to Run away from Her Shadow (66% in)
- There was no humbug or hypocrisy about Mr. Glegg; his eyes would have watered with true feeling over the sale of a widow's furniture, which a five-pound note from his side pocket would have prevented; but a donation of five pounds to a person "in a small way of life" would have seemed to him a mad kind of lavishness rather than "charity," which had always presented itself to him as a contribution of small aids, not a neutralizing of misfortune.1.12 — Book 1 Chapter 12 — Mr. and Mrs. Glegg at Home (49% in)
- ...which Mr. Pullet's remarkable memory furnished some items; and while aunt Pullet pitied poor Bessy's bad luck with her children, and expressed a half-formed project of paying for Maggie's being sent to a distant boarding-school, which would not prevent her being so brown, but might tend to subdue some other vices in her, aunt Glegg blamed Bessy for her weakness, and appealed to all witnesses who should be living when the Tulliver children had turned out ill, that she, Mrs. Glegg, had...1.13 — Book 1 Chapter 13 — Mr. Tulliver Further Entangles the Skein.... (23% in)
- I only know it turned out as uncomfortably for Tom Tulliver as if he had been plied with cheese in order to remedy a gastric weakness which prevented him from digesting it.2.1 — Book 2 Chapter 1 — Tom's "First Half" (37% in)
- ...discord of Tom's tones coming across the notes to which Philip was vibrating in soul and body, would have been enough to unhinge his temper, even if there had been no question of Poulter the drilling-master; and Tom, in the hurry of seizing something to say to prevent Mr. Poulter from thinking he was afraid of the sword when he sprang away from it, had alighted on this proposition to fetch Philip, though he knew well enough that Philip hated to hear him mention his drilling-lessons.2.4 — Book 2 Chapter 4 — "The Young Idea" (73% in)
- They were only so far civil to each other as was necessary to prevent their state of feud from being observed by Mr. Stelling, who would have "put down" such nonsense with great vigor.2.5 — Book 2 Chapter 5 — Maggie's Second Visit (16% in)
- Mr. Gore had been prevented by a sudden call of business from waiting at his office to see Mr. Tulliver, according to appointment, but would be at his office at eleven to-morrow morning, and meanwhile had sent some important information by letter.3.1 — Book 3 Chapter 1 — What Had Happened at Home (53% in)
- Maggie had started up from the sofa at the allusion to her father, but Tom saw her action and flushed face in time to prevent her from speaking.3.3 — Book 3 Chapter 3 — The Family Council (52% in)
- "Then, aunt," he said, looking straight at Mrs. Glegg, "if you think it's a disgrace to the family that we should be sold up, wouldn't it be better to prevent it altogether?3.3 — Book 3 Chapter 3 — The Family Council (54% in)
- Maggie would hardly have restrained herself from leaping on Tom's neck, if her aunt Moss had not prevented her by herself rising and taking Tom's hand, while she said, with rather a choked voice: "You'll never be the poorer for this, my dear boy, if there's a God above; and if the money's wanted for your father, Moss and me 'ull pay it, the same as if there was ever such security.3.3 — Book 3 Chapter 3 — The Family Council (95% in)
- Mr. Glegg wanted to say something soothing, but he was prevented by Mr. Tulliver's speaking again to his wife.3.4 — Book 3 Chapter 4 — A Vanishing Gleam (79% in)
- Mr. Turnbull was sent for; but when he heard what had passed, he said this complete restoration, though only temporary, was a hopeful sign, proving that there was no permanent lesion to prevent ultimate recovery.3.4 — Book 3 Chapter 4 — A Vanishing Gleam (92% in)
- But all this while Mrs. Tulliver was brooding over a scheme by which she, and no one else, would avert the result most to be dreaded, and prevent Wakem from entertaining the purpose of bidding for the mill.3.7 — Book 3 Chapter 7 — How a Hen Takes to Stratagem (24% in)
- He did not see that it would have been better to soothe the interval with a new hope, and prevent the delirium of a too sudden elation.5.2 — Book 5 Chapter 2 — Aunt Glegg Learns the Breadth of Bob's Thumb (98% in)
- Maggie's only hope was that something might, for the first time, have prevented Philip from coming.5.5 — Book 5 Chapter 5 — The Cloven Tree (60% in)
- Hardly a word or look had passed between him and Maggie in all the three weeks; but his usual incommunicativeness at home prevented this from being noticeable to their parents.5.6 — Book 5 Chapter 6 — The Hard-Won Triumph (16% in)
- But some subtle influence prevented him from foreseeing the good fortune as happening to himself.5.6 — Book 5 Chapter 6 — The Hard-Won Triumph (78% in)
- Oh yes, that is what prevented me from feeling sleepy.6.3 — Book 6 Chapter 3 — Confidential Moments (44% in)
- While my father was living, I felt bound to use the utmost power over you, to prevent you from disgracing him as well as yourself, and all of us.6.4 — Book 6 Chapter 4 — Brother and Sister (50% in)
- Not that her enjoyment of music was of the kind that indicates a great specific talent; it was rather that her sensibility to the supreme excitement of music was only one form of that passionate sensibility which belonged to her whole nature, and made her faults and virtues all merge in each other; made her affections sometimes an impatient demand, but also prevented her vanity from taking the form of mere feminine coquetry and device, and gave it the poetry of ambition.6.6 — Book 6 Chapter 6 — Illustrating the Laws of Attraction (22% in)
- His personal attentions to Maggie were comparatively slight, and there had even sprung up an apparent distance between them, that prevented the renewal of that faint resemblance to gallantry into which he had fallen the first day in the boat.6.6 — Book 6 Chapter 6 — Illustrating the Laws of Attraction (41% in)
- Nothing short of having your heads served up in a dish like that mediaeval tenor or troubadour, would prevent you from expressing your entire resignation.6.7 — Book 6 Chapter 7 — Philip Re-enters (67% in)
- That tone of gentle solicitude obliged her to look at the face that was bent toward her, and to say, "No, thank you"; and nothing could prevent that mutual glance from being delicious to both, as it had been the evening before.6.7 — Book 6 Chapter 7 — Philip Re-enters (75% in)
- But that will not prevent our meeting again, I hope; it will not prevent my knowing you better, if I can be of any service to you.6.9 — Book 6 Chapter 9 — Charity in Full-Dress (72% in)
- But that will not prevent our meeting again, I hope; it will not prevent my knowing you better, if I can be of any service to you.6.9 — Book 6 Chapter 9 — Charity in Full-Dress (72% in)
- "You must not say these things; I must not hear them," she said, looking down in misery, as Stephen came in front of her, to prevent her from going farther toward the gate.6.11 — Book 6 Chapter 11 — In the Lane (35% in)
- Our good, upright Tom Tulliver's mind was of this class; his inward criticism of his father's faults did not prevent him from adopting his father's prejudice; it was a prejudice against a man of lax principle and lax life, and it was a meeting-point for all the disappointed feelings of family and personal pride.6.12 — Book 6 Chapter 12 — A Family Party (93% in)
- Your inexperience of the world, Miss Tulliver, prevents you from anticipating fully the very unjust conceptions that will probably be formed concerning your conduct,—conceptions which will have a baneful effect, even in spite of known evidence to disprove them.7.2 — Book 7 Chapter 2 — St. Ogg's Passes Judgment (70% in)
- That letter, as I said, ought to suffice to prevent false impressions concerning you.7.2 — Book 7 Chapter 2 — St. Ogg's Passes Judgment (75% in)
There are no more uses of "prevent" in The Mill on the Floss.
Typical Usage
(best examples)