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Prevail vs Prevailing - What's the difference?

prevail | prevailing |

As verbs the difference between prevail and prevailing

is that prevail is to be superior in strength, dominance, influence or frequency; to have or gain the advantage over others; to have the upper hand; to outnumber others while prevailing is present participle of lang=en.

As an adjective prevailing is

predominant; of greatest force.

prevail

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • To be superior in strength, dominance, influence or frequency; to have or gain the advantage over others; to have the upper hand; to outnumber others.
    • Red colour prevails in the Canadian flag.
  • * , Exodus 17:11
    • And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed'; and when he let down his hand, Amalek ' prevailed .
  • To be current, widespread or predominant; to have currency or prevalence.
    • In his day and age, such practices prevailed all over Europe.
  • To succeed in persuading]] or [[induce, inducing.
    • I prevailed on him to wait.

    Derived terms

    * cooler heads will prevail

    Related terms

    * prevalence * prevalent

    References

    * *

    prevailing

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Predominant; of greatest force.
    • The prevailing opinion was for additional planning time.
  • * '', reprinted in 1797, John Bell, ''Bell's British Theatre , Volume 33, page 37 (within play),
    • He has a humour more prevailing than his curiosity, and will willingly dispense with the hearing of one scandalous story, to avoid giving an occasion to make another, by being seen to walk with his wife.
  • * 1807 , , The Life and Most Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner , page 187,
    • and as merciful coun?els are mo?t prevailing when earne?tly pre??ed, ?o I got them to be of the ?ame opinion as to clemency.
  • * 1826 , , House of Commons Papers , Volume 17, page 411,
    • I have heard generally that alderman Archer has a more prevailing and powerful influence in the commons than any other alderman, and exercises that influence ;
  • Prevalent, common, widespread.
  • * 1829 , James Annesley, Sketches of the Most Prevalent Diseases of India , page 247,
    • Fever'' and ''dysentery are the most prevailing diseases in this division, more particularly the latter, which is one of the most destructive amongst the troops in India, and particularly so in the European constitution.
  • * 1832 , David Brewster, Spain'', entry in ''The Edinburgh Encyclopaedia , Volume 17, page 371,
    • One of the most prevailing defects in this people is their invincible indolence, and hatred of labour, which has, at all times, paralysed the government of their best princes, and impeded the success of their most brilliant enterprises.
  • * 1940 , Australian Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics, Official Year Book of the Commonwealth of Australia No. 33 - 1940 , page 49,
    • In Sydney at 9 am, by far the most prevailing wind is a westerly, particularly during the colder two-thirds of the year.

    Verb

    (head)