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n. [ It. & (in sense 2) LL. breve, fr. L. brevis short. See Brief. ] 1. (Mus.) A note or character of time, equivalent to two semibreves or four minims. When dotted, it is equal to three semibreves. It was formerly of a square figure (as thus: &unr_; ), but is now made oval, with a line perpendicular to the staff on each of its sides; -- formerly much used for choir service. Moore. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Law) Any writ or precept under seal, issued out of any court. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Print.) A curved mark [ ˘ ] used commonly to indicate the short quantity of a vowel. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Zool.) The great ant thrush of Sumatra (Pitta gigas), which has a very short tail. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. brevet, LL. brevetum, fr. L. brevis short. See Brief. ] 1. A warrant from the government, granting a privilege, title, or dignity. [ French usage ]. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Mil.) A commission giving an officer higher rank than that for which he receives pay; an honorary promotion of an officer. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In the United States army, rank by brevet is conferred, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, for “gallant actions or meritorious services.” A brevet rank gives no right of command in the particular corps to which the officer brevetted belongs, and can be exercised only by special assignment of the President, or on court martial, and detachments composed of different corps, with pay of the brevet rank when on such duty. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Brevetted p. pr. & vb. n. Brevetting. ] (Mil.) To confer rank upon by brevet. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Mil.) Taking or conferring rank by brevet; as, a brevet colonel; a brevet commission. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Brevetcies (Mil.) The rank or condition of a brevet officer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ After Sir William Congreve, the inventor. ] 1. Short for Cogreve rocket, a powerful form of rocket formerly used in war, either in the field or for bombardment. In the former case it was armed with shell, shrapnel, or other missiles; in the latter, with an inextinguishable explosive material, inclosed in a metallic case. It was guided by a long wooden stick. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. Short for
Congreve match, an early friction match, containing sulphur, potassium chlorate, and antimony sulphide. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

See congreve and cf. Rocket. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

n. [ Cf. Creut. ] A crucible or melting pot; a cruset. Crabb. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To treat irreverently or with disrespect. [ Obs. ] Sir T. More. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. [ For, prep. + ever. ] 1. Through eternity; through endless ages; eternally. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. At all times; always. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In England, for and ever are usually written and printed as two separate words; but, in the United States, the general practice is to make but a single word of them. [ 1913 Webster ]

Forever and ever, an emphatic “forever.”

Syn. -- Constantly; continually; invariably; unchangeably; incessantly; always; perpetually; unceasingly; ceaselessly; interminably; everlastingly; endlessly; eternally. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A grove. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state or quality of being impreventable; inevitability. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Not preventable; inevitable. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Incapable of being revealed. -- Ir`re*veal"a*bly, adv. [1913 Webster]

n. [ L. irreverentia: cf. F. irrévérence. ] The state or quality of being irreverent; lack of proper reverence; disregard of the authority and character of a superior. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Irreverent. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Immodest speech, or irreverend gesture. Strype. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. irreverens, -entis: cf. F. irrévérent. See In- not, and Reverent. ] Not reverent; showing a lack of reverence; expressive of a lack of veneration; as, an irreverent babbler; an irreverent jest. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an irreverent manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state or quality of being irreversible; irreversibleness. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Incapable of being reversed or turned about or back; incapable of being made to run backward; as, an irreversible engine; an irreversible process; an irreversible reaction. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

2. Incapable of being reversed, recalled, repealed, or annulled; as, an irreversible sentence or decree. [ 1913 Webster ]

This rejection of the Jews, as it is not universal, so neither is it final and irreversible. Jortin.

Syn. -- Irrevocable; irrepealable; unchangeable. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state or quality of being irreversible. [ 1913 Webster ]

. (Mach.) A steering gear, esp. for an automobile, not affected by the road wheels, as when they strike an obstacle side ways, but easily controlled by the hand wheel or steering lever. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

adv. In an irreversible manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) A plant (Sedum Telephium) with fleshy leaves, which has extreme powers of resisting drought; garden ox-pine. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. Not reversible or capable of having either side out; -- used mostly of clothing. Opposite of reversible.
Syn. -- one-sided. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

{ } [ AS. portgerēfa; port a harbor + gerēfa a reeve or sheriff. See Reeve a steward, and cf. Portreeve. ] In old English law, the chief magistrate of a port or maritime town.; a portreeve. [ Obs. ] Fabyan. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. & i. To prove. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Proof. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. prévenance. ] (Metaph.) A going before; anticipation in sequence or order. “The law of prevenance is simply the well-known law of phenomenal sequence.” Ward. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of anticipating another's wishes, desires, etc., in the way of favor or courtesy; hence, civility; obligingness. [ Obs. ] Sterne. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. & i. [ F. prévenir, L. praevenire. See Prevent. ] To come before; to anticipate; hence, to hinder; to prevent. [ Obs. ] Philips. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of going before; anticipation. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. praeveniens, p. pr. ] Going before; preceding; hence, preventive. “Prevenient grace descending.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Prevented; p. pr. & vb. n. Preventing. ] [ L. praevenire, praeventum; prae before + venire to come. See Come. ] 1. To go before; to precede; hence, to go before as a guide; to direct. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

We which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 1 Thess. iv. 15. [ 1913 Webster ]

We pray thee that thy grace may always prevent and follow us. Bk. of Common Prayer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Then had I come, preventing Sheba's queen. Prior. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To be beforehand with; to anticipate. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Their ready guilt preventing thy commands. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To intercept; to hinder; to frustrate; to stop; to thwart. “This vile purpose to prevent.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Perhaps forestalling night prevented them. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To come before the usual time. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Strawberries . . . will prevent and come early. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being preventable. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being prevented or hindered; as, preventable diseases. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. That which prevents; -- incorrectly used instead of preventive. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who goes before; one who forestalls or anticipates another. [ Obs. ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who prevents or obstructs; a hinderer; that which hinders; as, a preventer of evils or of disease. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Naut.) An auxiliary rope to strengthen a mast. [ 1913 Webster ]

Preventer bolts, or
Preventer plates (Naut.), fixtures connected with preventers to reënforce other rigging. --
Preventer stay. (Naut.) Same as Preventer, 3. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. So as to prevent or hinder. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. prévention. ] 1. The act of going, or state of being, before. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The greater the distance, the greater the prevention. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Anticipation; esp., anticipation of needs or wishes; hence, precaution; forethought. [ Obs. ] Hammond. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The act of preventing or hindering; obstruction of action, access, or approach; thwarting. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

Casca, be sudden, for we fear prevention. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Prejudice; prepossession. [ A Gallicism ] Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Tending to prevent. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. préventif. ] 1. Going before; preceding. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Any previous counsel or preventive understanding. Cudworth. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Tending to defeat or hinder; obviating; preventing the access of; as, a medicine preventive of disease. [ 1913 Webster ]

Physic is either curative or preventive. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

Preventive service, the duty performed by the armed police in guarding the coast against smuggling. [ Eng ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. That which prevents, hinders, or obstructs; that which intercepts access; in medicine, something to prevent disease; a prophylactic. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a preventive manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Anat.) Situated immediately in front, or on the ventral side, of the vertebral column; prespinal. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ See Reprieve, v. t. ] To reprove. [ Obs. ] “Repreve him of his vice.” Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Reproof. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]