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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Prevene, -vein, v. Also: prewene; preveine, -veyn(ne, -weine, -weyn; preveen(e; previne, -win(e; prei-, preyvein; prævene, -veine, præveen(e, pravein; and Provene. [L. prævenīre to come before, precede, anticipate, hinder, excel, F. prévenir (1539 in Hatz.-Darm.), e.m.E. prevene (1650). Chiefly, and orig. only, Sc. Cf. Prevent.]

1. tr. To act in advance of, take precautionary action against (something to be averted or guarded against); to avert, obviate, frustrate, by anticipatory action; to forestall.(1) 1456 Hay I 270/30, 33.
Na man … suld byde his dede, seand it cum till him, bot he suld prevene it and he mycht. And sen a man seis his fa cum to geve him mortall woundis … he wald … prevene the straikis Ib. 271/20. 1531 Bell. Boece II 112.
He gaderit ane gret power, to prevene thair cuming Ib. I 49, II 123. Id. Livy II 40/7.
And with my deith haue prevenit the schame that occurris Ib. 13/8. 1578 Reg. Privy C. III 12. 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. 113.
Scho … is sa impudent [as] to blast out and preuene the infamie Ib.
To preuene the ignominious name quhairby thay ar iustlie callit 1601 Mackie Denmilne MSS 36.
And quhair now ye are ye may helpe to prevene sicc henne uyles c1610 Melville Mem. 60.
Quhilk [heresies] it wes meit the king suld preuene in tym 1635 Dickson Wr. 26.
To deal with God, and prevene the sentence of judgment(b) 1540 Crim. Trials I i 228.
Wnles he preveined the deid be punischment of the tratour a1585 Maitland Maitl. Q. xvi 102.
Quhair is the zelous men … That … ane greit perrell could prevein 1596 Dalr. II 2/35.
Gif God of his gudnes had nocht vthirwyse preueinet his [Edward I's] counsel 16.. Hist. Kennedy 23.
Mony thingis mycht bein gottin preweynitt 1615 Denmylne MSS in Highland P. III 278.
And to preveine this, that the cuntree sould get no skaith, I have directit [etc.] 1632 Fugitive Poetry II vii 4/92.
And heereby gives occasion to the meine, By fervant prayer, their sinnes for to preveine 1638 Bk. Pasquils 85.
Ill to resist, and poperey to preweine 1638 Peebles Gleanings 179. 1641 Acts V (1817) 640/2.
This hurt and skaith might be preveined at the leist maid mutche les nor it is if the said pow … war keipit clein castin and dicht 1644 Baillie II 178. 1661 Aberd. Council Lett. IV 112.
I intend to preveine that for our burgh if I can(c) 1637 Baillie I 17.
St. Andrewes, whether to preveene this plot, or for what other designe, resolves to Court 1638 Ib. 164.
Except he preveened the sentence by satisfaction 1639 Johnston Diary I a 49.
Ther was ane thousand English horse … who came to Dounce … to preveene the Earle of Humes conveening of the regiment of the Merse 1641 Baillie I 298.
To preveen a consumption alreadie begun 1651 Dickson Matthew 6.
To preveen all unworthy and unbeseeming thoughts of this transcendent mystery 1675 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. IV 462.
To preveen, suppress and punish the lyk disorders for the futur 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. ii xxix §2 (1699) 276.
To preveen the errour of others 1685 Lauder Notices Affairs II 651.(d) (1638) Balfour Ann. II 252.
Prewine(e) 1659 Edinb. B. Rec. IX 169.
To remeid the evill and preyvein their ruine(2) 1608 Crim. Trials II 564.
And thairby to prevene that he had na power to denunce the said Alexander

b. To act in preparation for, provide beforehand for (a future event). 1596 Dalr. II 260/28.
He [James V] oft vset to preueine materis of waicht with a sad counsell and graue

2. To anticipate, act in advance of (a due or appointed time). In to prevene (the) tyme (also day, sessoun, etc.). a1500 Prestis of Peblis 504.
This fuil persauit weil the king wald pas Vnto ane vther cietie … ; He tuke his club and ane bable in his hand For to preuene the tyme he was gangand 1513 Doug. x i 27.
Haist not the sesson to provoke nor prevene 1515 Doug. in Doug. (Sm.) I p. xl.
The duyk dysponys hym nocht hydder quhyll this nyxt moyn, les than this deces of the Kyng of Frans caus hym preueyn the tyme 1550–1 Corr. M. Lorraine 344.
To prevein the tyme of the governouris office afore the quenis cuming to perfite age a1586 Maitland Ho. Seytoun 23. 1561 Waus Corr. 29.
Bot this tyme man be prevenit becaus of the necessitie of this present occasioun 1568 Hist. Fam. Kennedy App. 18.
That ye be in reddynes … to prevene the tyme with the saidis rebellis … to stop thair waye in hame cuming gif it war possibill 1570 Sempill Sat. P. xii 150.
Best wer, I think, mycht we preuene ȝone day 1570 Leslie 294.
Lord James … thocht it necessar to prevene tyme for obteining of hir [the queen's] benevolens a1578 Pitsc. I 187/12, 397/8, II 112/13. 1588 Comm. Univ. III (St. A.) App. 195.
And siclyke prevenis the tyme in begynning the text of Aristotle soner as the bairnis proffeittis a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 303.
Alwayis he prevenit the day of the rumour and came to Kelso the verie first day of Aprile 1607 Reg. Privy C. VII 362. c1610 Melville Mem. 348. 1615 Letts. & St. P. Jas. VI 269.
And through that seiknes, preueined hir tyme [of childbirth] ten or twelf dayis a1634 Forbes Rec. 356.
Bot his majestie, be his missives, both altered the place and preveined the tyme 1667 Aberd. Council Lett. IV 323.

3. To act sooner than (another person or agent); to anticipate in action; to forestall, steal a march on, seize the advantage of.Also const. of a thing aimed at or sought after.(1) c1420 Wynt. ii 212.
Syne how this Iacob sleely Prewenyde hys brodyre qweyntlye 1489 (1528) Reg. Great S. 120/1.
And anentis the outlandis men quhilkis prevenis thaim [the Edinburgh coopers] in ther laubouris and proffettis 1507 Reg. Privy S. I 223/2.
That thai sal nocht be hurt nor prevenit thairin be ony utheris to tak copyis of ony bukis furtht of our realme c1500-c1512 Dunb. xiii 13.
Ane commoun doar of transgressioun Of innocent folkis prevenis a futher Ib. xlvii 70.
I salbe als weill luvit agane, Thair may no jangler me prevene Ib. xiv 43. 1530–1 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 350. 1533 Bell. Livy II 174/19.
Vthir wayis thai that ar cowart and avaricius pepill sall prevene the maist forcy and valeȝeand capitanis and obtene the reward that is ordanit for nobil men 1533 Boece 431 b.
Gif thai wald haistelie invade him with power he suld be prevenit be thare suddane assailȝe c1520-c1535 Nisbet III 332/19.
Na man can preveynne the spret in doynge gude 1535 Stewart 7905. 1551 Hamilton Cat. 44.
That we prevenit nocht God with our lufe, luffand him first, bot he prevenit us first with his lufe Ib. 98. 1586–7 Waus Corr. 383. 1612 Orkney & Shetl. Ct. Bk. (ed.) 20.
Thair is diveris … chapmen quha be way of foirstalling … prevenis the inhabitantis of the cuntrey in buying all soirt of merchandice 1637 Baillie I 45.
They thought meet therefore themselves to præveene, lest if they had been forced to it, it should have forestalled their cause 1650 Balfour Ann. IV 93.
And giue Parliament of England … shall prewin him with the propositions presented be bothe kingdomes he will [etc.] 1667 Highland P. II 19.
The king preveened him in setting a price on his head and sending parties to keep all passages from him(2) 1569 Reg. Privy C. VI 139/1.
Albeit sindrie places [of] ordinare pursevand hes vaikit sensyne uthiris hes prevenit him of the samin

b. To take preventive action against. a1568 Pedder C. 6.
Ȝe burges sonis prevene thir lownis That wald distroy nobilitie

c. intr. To act in advance of a possible crisis, to act at once. c1490 Irland Asl. MS 34/28.
For than happin the mete [etc.] … may nocht helpe the persone and thairfor thow art oblist to prevene

4. a. Of an earlier action: To avert by prior occurrence; to preclude, prevent. 1533 Bell. Livy I 160/23.
For certane quiet trewis war takin, & prevenit al trubil appering 1571 Knox VI 603.
Onles spedie repentance prevene Goddes judgementes 1572 Ib. 513. 1638 Rothes Affairs Kirk 96.
Preveine ?c1675 J. Gordon Hist. II 127.
Such positive lawes … as might praeveen the lycke corruptions

b. To occur before. 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 40.
Becaus it suld be dangerous to abyde the samyn in dreid dethe suld preueine naturall rupture of sic venome

5. Of death or an agency of death.To overtake (a person) and so prevent him from carrying out an intended action; to overtake prematurely. Also absol. 1531 Bell. Boece II 408.
He maid his solempne vote, to pas with ane army in defence of Cristin faith aganis the Turkis and was prevenit be untimus deith 1567 G. Ball. 165.
Thocht pest, or sword wald vs preuene, Befoir our hour, to slay vs clene c1590 Fowler I 114/48.
Bot him his fearse and cruell fates and desteneis did prevene 1596 Dalr. I 158/14.
Bot this capitane is preueined in Camelodune with deith in few dayes Ib. II 60/13.
Tha … propones to june thair forces against the Erle Douglas quhilk tha had done gif deith had nocht preueinet and tane him away suddanlie [in 1439] Ib. 129/9. 1684-9 Glamis Bk. Record 20.
My father was preveen'd by death and did not behold this tragedie

6. Of God, in theology: To ‘prevent’ or go before (a person or his actions) with prevenient spiritual guidance and grace. 1490 Irland Mir. II 73/10.
For and I do my part that I may do God falȝeis nocht to me, and he prevenis me and helpis me thar to 1588 King Cat. 220.
The beginning of iustification in men of perfect aige mon be tain of the grace of God prævening tham through Jesus Christ 1596 Dalr. II 2/35.
Gif God of his gudnes had nocht vthirwyse preueinet his counsel 1600 Hamilton Facile Tr. Pray. 2.
Preuine, aduance, & contenow vnto the end, al my guid actions Ib. Ep. 8.
Saue our king, o Lord, preuine him in the blissings of ȝour sueitnes 1581-1623 James VI Poems II 35/5.
Yea thou uith prosperouse blessingis him præueinis & crounis his head uith golde that purest scheinis a1633 W. Struther True Happines (1633) 47 (OED).
All these works of the soul neither breed in us, neither begin at us, but he preveeneth us in them all

Also b. To go before (a wicked person) so as to prevent his wicked actions. 1581-1623 James VI Poems II 28/27.
Aryse o Iehoua preueine his [an enemy's] face him prostratt eike & uith thy suorde my soule pull from the uikkid that it seike

7. To influence in advance, prepossess, prejudice (a person or his mind). 1513 Doug. i xi 55.
Bot he [Cupid] … with scharp amouris of the man alyve Gan hir dolf spreit forto preveyn and steir [L. vivo … prævertere amore … animos] a1700 Hay Geneal. Saintclaires 170.
The king being altogither preveened by the Earle of Melford against her and her childering

8. tr. and absol. To take from another judge the preferable right of jurisdiction, by exercising the first judicial act: see Preventio(u)n n. c.tr. c1630 Hope Minor Pract. (1726) 93.
The sheriff in criminals may preveen the baron by the first citation, both in simple blood, and in theft 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. ii ii §5 (1699) 182.
Where many judges are competent they may preveen one another, and prevention is defyned to be anticipatio sive præoccupatio usus jurisdictionisabsol. 1647 Justiciary Cases III 762.
Becaus the schereff, quha is onlie competent judge, at the leist quha may prevene, hes convenit the pannell befoir the schereff covrt of Pearthe

9. To proceed to, or arrive at, a destination ahead of (another person, thing or event); to be already present and waiting for, having arrived first; to precede.(1) 1535 Stewart 24062.
Richt stalwart men … He gart prevene the Britis thair ane space a1578 Pitsc. II 234/29.
And it was judgeit that thai sould pas to Linlythgow to prevein the quenis lordis bot the quenis lordis durst not cum for feir of the Inglismen 1596 Dalr. II 455/6.
Preueineng al the rest, [he] landis in Scotland the first of Maii 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 139.
Bot he lingring a little too long by the way in England, wes preveined by John Lesly, bishop of Rosse a1634 Forbes Rec. 513.(2) 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 11.
Archibald Erle of Angus cam to Edinburgh with ane hundreth horse men, aganis the tyme of the parliament, to have prevenit the kingis cuming 1641 Baillie I 354.
The Lord be with thee my sweit heart: I hope to preveene this letter

10. To come before in merit; to outdo, surpass, excel. 1533 Bell. Livy II 131/2.
The principall faderis schane with sic … renovne of vertew that thai prevenit all the plebeanis and left na place to thame to cum to honouris a1568 Bann. MS 229 a/76.
Hir portratour of most plesance All pictour did prevene 1596 Dalr. I 96/6.
That a certane singular prais of constancie thay appeir justlie to haue preueinet al natiounis with 1600 James VI in Lett. Jas. VI to Eliz. 132.
As in this office of kyndnes touardis me, ye haue farre praueined all other kings my confederatis

b. ? To surmount, overcome (difficulties or misfortunes). 1626 Garden Worthies 16.
Yet both those stormes still stoutlie I sustain'd With valour that with wisdome this preivein'd