prevention

Noun

prevention (countable and uncountable, plural preventions)

1. The act of preventing or hindering; obstruction of action, access, or approach; thwarting.
   • a fire prevention campaign
   • Casca, be sudden, for we fear prevention.1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...
2. Any measure intended to limit health-related risks (such as information campaigns, vaccination, early diagnosis etc.).
   • Whatever cures are known, and preventions that are practiced now, could have been common knowledge centuries ago.1933, David Marshall Brooks, The Necessity of Atheism
3. (obsolete) The act of going, or state of being, before.
   • It is generally knowne and obserued, that Light, and the Obiect of Sight, moue swifter than Sound; For we see the Flash of a Peece [i.e. firearm] is seene sooner, than the Noise is heard. […] And the greater the Distance, the greater is the Preuention: As we see in Thunder, which is farre off...1631, Francis [Bacon], “III. Century.”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], 3rd edition, London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee...
4. (obsolete) Anticipation; especially, anticipation of needs, wishes, hazards and risks
   • [Suffolk, York and Beaufort]
     Have all limed bushes to betray thy wings,
     And, fly thou how thou canst, they’ll tangle thee:
     But fear not thou, until thy foot be snared,
     Nor never seek prevention of thy foes.1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and...
5. precaution; forethought.
   • And Jesus […] by way of prevention asked a question of the Doctors of the law and Pharisees that were present, saying, Is the working of a cure on a sick man a thing forbidden, and so unlawfull to be done upon a sabbath day?1659, Henry Hammond, A Paraphrase and Annotations upon All the Books of the New Testament, London: Richard Davis, The Gospel according to S. LUKE, Chapter 14, verse 3, p. 238