Permit vs Prevent - What's the difference?
permit | prevent |
* (Joseph Addison) (1672-1719)
To allow (something) to happen, to give permission for.
*
, title=(The Celebrity), chapter=4
, passage=Mr. Cooke at once began a tirade against the residents of Asquith for permitting a sandy and generally disgraceful condition of the roads. So roundly did he vituperate the inn management in particular, and with such a loud flow of words, that I trembled lest he should be heard on the veranda.}}
* 1930 , "Presbytarians", Time , 19 Dec 1930:
To allow (someone) to do something; to give permission to.
* 2009 , Patricia Cohen, New York Times , 17 Jan 09, p. 1:
To allow for, to make something possible.
* 2006 , Mary Riddell, "Trident is a Weapon of Mass Destruction", The Observer , 3 Dec 06:
* 2009 , John Mitchell, "Clubs Preview", The Guardian , 25 Jul 09:
To allow, to admit (of).
* 1910 , , "Reginald in Russia", Reginald in Russia :
* 2007 , Ian Jack, The Guardian , 22 Sep 07:
(pronounced like noun) To grant formal authorization for (something).
(pronounced like noun) To attempt to obtain or succeed in obtaining formal authorization for (something).
(obsolete) Formal permission.
An artifact or document rendering something allowed or legal.
A pompano of the species .
To stop; to keep (from happening).
* {{quote-news
, year=2011
, date=October 1
, author=Tom Fordyce
, title=Rugby World Cup 2011: England 16-12 Scotland
, work=BBC Sport
* 1897 , Henry James, What Maisie Knew :
(obsolete) To come before; to precede.
* Bible, 1 Thess. iv. 15
* Book of Common Prayer
* Prior
(obsolete) To outdo, surpass.
* 1596 , Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene , IV.i:
(obsolete) To be beforehand with; to anticipate.
* Alexander Pope
In transitive terms the difference between permit and prevent
is that permit is to allow (someone) to do something; to give permission to while prevent is to stop; to keep (from happening).As verbs the difference between permit and prevent
is that permit is to hand over, resign (something to someone) while prevent is to stop; to keep (from happening).As a noun permit
is formal permission.permit
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl) permitten, from (etyl) permettre, from (etyl) .Verb
(permitt)- Let us not aggravate our sorrows, / But to the gods permit the event of things.
- Last week the decision on two points was conclusive: the Presbyterian Church in the U. S. A. will not permit' ordination of women as ministers, but will ' permit their election as ruling elders, permission which makes possible a woman as moderator.
- He was ultimately cleared, but during that period, Mr. Ackman said, his lawyers would not permit him to defend himself publicly.
- What was left to say? Quite a lot, if only parliamentary time permitted .
- For snackage there's a 1950s-themed diner plus a barbie on the terrace, weather permitting .
- ‘You English are always so frivolous,’ said the Princess. ‘In Russia we have too many troubles to permit of our being light-hearted.’
- "As an instrument of economic policy, incantation does not permit of minor doubts or scruples."
Usage notes
* This is a catenative verb that in the active form takes the gerund (-ing)'', but in passive takes the ''to infinitive . SeeNoun
(en noun)- A construction permit can be obtained from the town offices.
- Go over to the park office and get a permit for the
- 3 shelter.
Etymology 2
An irregular borrowing from (etyl) (m), probably from a Doric variant of (etyl) .Noun
(en-noun)See also
* * (Trachinotus) ----prevent
English
Alternative forms
* (archaic)Verb
(en verb)- I brushed my teeth to prevent them from going yellow.
citation, page= , passage=Scotland must now hope Georgia produce a huge upset and beat Argentina by at least eight points in Sunday's final Pool B match to prevent them failing to make the last eight for the first time in World Cup history.}}
- ‘I think you must be mad, and she shall not have a glimpse of it while I'm here to prevent !’
- We which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
- We pray thee that thy grace may always prevent and follow us.
- Then had I come, preventing Sheba's queen.
- With that he put his spurres vnto his steed, / With speare in rest, and toward him did fare, / Like shaft out of a bow preuenting speed.
- their ready guilt preventing thy commands
