prevail

基本释义

[verb] prove more powerful than opposing forces; be victorious
[动词] 证明比对立势力更加强大;获胜

深入解读

Prevail 一词结构比较简单,就是由前缀 pre (前)+词根 vail (强壮的)构成,于15世纪经古法语 prevaleir 或者直接由拉丁语 praevalere (变得更强或更能干、拥有更大的能力)进入英语后,最初用来表示“成功、奏效”。

等到了15世纪中期后, prevail 开始发展出现在的基本含义“获胜、占优势、占上风”,主要指思想、观点、原则、提议等在力量、优势、影响、频率等方面比对立势力更加强大,并获得支配地位,常用搭配 prevail against/over sth 作正式用语使用,比如:

  • 正如真理终将战胜谬误,善也终将战胜恶。
    As truth prevails over error, goodness tends to supersede badness.

从这个概念出发,等到了16世纪70年代后, prevail 进一步发展出短语动词 prevail on/upon sb to do sth 表示“劝说、说服”某人做某事,主要指成功说服或诱导某人去做某件不想做的事情,强调通过持续的争论、压力或者有说服力的呼吁来克服对方的反对或不情愿,也是作正式用语使用,比如:

  • 杰斐逊起初表示反对,但最终被说服,接受了这一任命。
    Jefferson at first demurred but was eventually prevailed upon to accept the appointment.

而从支配地位这个概念出发,到了1776年后, prevail 又被用来引申指“流行、盛行”,主要指风俗、态度、情形、气氛等在某一特定时间内广泛传播或流行于某一特定人群或地区中,占据主导地位,比如:

  • 在富豪当政的国家里,人们见利忘义。
    Financial, not moral, considerations will prevail in a plutocracy.

好书例句

‘She got steeped in the shower of yesterday evening, and there she has sat the night through, and I couldn’t prevail on her to stir.’
“她昨天晚上在大雨里泡,而且她又坐了个通宵,我也没法劝得她动一动。”

出自英国女作家艾米莉·勃朗特(Emily Brontë)的小说《呼啸山庄》(Wuthering Heights)。

外刊例句

  • The business models of big tech firms are, however, too successful and too lucrative to change, so Mr Lanier’s views are unlikely to prevail.
    然而,大科技公司的商业模式太成功、太赚钱,难以有所改变。因此,拉尼尔的观点不太可能会大行其道。
    ——《经济学人》
  • Microsoft could still prevail, in court and in the market, but it will not escape unscathed.
    在法庭与市场上,微软都可能占上风,但无论如何都不可能毫发无损,全身而退。
    ——《时代周刊》

常见短语

  1. Prevail over (战胜) – To defeat or overcome someone or something.
    • Example: With determination and hard work, she prevailed over her challenges and achieved success.
  2. Prevail against (抵抗) – To withstand or resist someone or something.
    • Example: The fortress was built to prevail against enemy attacks.
  3. Prevail in (在…中占上风) – To be dominant or successful in a particular situation.
    • Example: Despite the tough competition, their team prevailed in the championship match.
  4. Prevail upon (劝说) – To convince or persuade someone to do something.
    • Example: She managed to prevail upon him to change his mind and join the project.
  5. Prevail upon someone’s kindness (依靠某人的善意) – To ask for someone’s help or favor based on their kind nature.
    • Example: I had no choice but to prevail upon her kindness and ask for a loan.
  6. Prevail over adversity (战胜逆境) – To overcome and succeed despite challenging circumstances.
    • Example: Their strong spirit and determination helped them prevail over adversity.
  7. Prevail in a legal battle (在法律战斗中获胜) – To win a legal case or lawsuit.
    • Example: After years of litigation, the plaintiff finally prevailed in the legal battle.
  8. Prevail in an argument (在争论中取胜) – To win or come out on top in a debate or disagreement.
    • Example: Despite opposing views, she managed to prevail in the argument with well-reasoned points.
  9. Prevailing opinion (主流观点) – The widely accepted or dominant viewpoint on a particular topic.
    • Example: The prevailing opinion among experts is that climate change is caused by human activities.
  10. Prevailing winds (主要风向) – The predominant direction of winds in a particular area or region.
    • Example: The prevailing winds from the east brought cooler temperatures to the coastal region.
  11. Prevailing belief (主流信念) – The commonly held belief or conviction among a group of people.
    • Example: In many cultures, there is a prevailing belief in the power of superstitions.
  12. Prevailing culture (主导文化) – The dominant or influential culture within a society or organization.
    • Example: The prevailing culture in the company promotes collaboration and teamwork.
  13. Prevailing trend (主流趋势) – The current or popular trend that is widely followed or accepted.
    • Example: Sustainability and eco-friendly practices are the prevailing trends in the fashion industry.
  14. Prevailing economic conditions (主导经济状况) – The overall state of the economy at a given time.
    • Example: The prevailing economic conditions have led to an increase in unemployment rates.
  15. Prevailing theory (主流理论) – The widely accepted or dominant theory in a particular field of study.
    • Example: The prevailing theory in astrophysics explains the origins of the universe.
  16. Prevailing fashion (主导时尚) – The current or popular style of clothing and accessories.
    • Example: The prevailing fashion this season includes bold colors and retro-inspired designs.
  17. Prevail with ease (轻松取胜) – To achieve victory or success without much effort or resistance.
    • Example: The talented athlete prevailed with ease in the track and field competition.
  18. Prevail in the face of adversity (面对逆境而取胜) – To overcome challenges and achieve success despite difficult circumstances.
    • Example: Their determination and resilience allowed them to prevail in the face of adversity.
  19. Prevailing market conditions (主导市场条件) – The current or dominant conditions in the market that influence business operations.
    • Example: Companies need to adapt their strategies to the prevailing market conditions to stay competitive.
  20. Prevailing wisdom (主流智慧) – The widely accepted or conventional wisdom on a particular subject.
    • Example: The prevailing wisdom suggests that early childhood education is crucial for development.

同近义词

triumph: achieve a victory; be successful
conquer: successfully overcome (a problem or weakness)
reign: (of a quality or condition) prevail; predominate

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