Preventative \Pre*vent"a*tive\, n.
That which prevents; -- incorrectly used instead of
preventive.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
preventative
adj 1: tending to prevent or hinder [syn: preventive] [ant: permissive]
2: preventing or contributing to the prevention of disease;
"preventive medicine"; "vaccines are prophylactic"; "a
prophylactic drug" [syn: preventive, prophylactic]
n 1: remedy that prevents or slows the course of an illness or
disease; "the doctor recommended several preventatives"
[syn: preventive, prophylactic]
2: any obstruction that impedes or is burdensome [syn: hindrance,
hitch, preventive, encumbrance, incumbrance, interference]
3: an agent or device intended to prevent conception [syn: contraceptive,
preventive, contraceptive device, prophylactic
device, birth control device]
WordNet (r) 2.0
|
|
|