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3. prevail on

prevail on

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prevail (up)on someone or something (to do something)

to appeal to someone or a group to do something. (Upon is formal and less commonly used than on.) I will prevail upon her to attend the meeting. I prevailed on the committee to no avail.

See also: on, prevail

prevail on somebody (to do something)

also prevail upon somebody (to do something)

to persuade someone to do something My father prevailed on some friends to let us stay with them for a few days. The TV network prevailed upon the organizers of the track and field championships to schedule the 100-meter final for Sunday afternoon.

See also: on, prevail

prevail on

Successfully persuade or influence, as in They prevailed on me to speak at their annual luncheon. This term uses prevail in the sense of "exert superior force." It replaced prevail with in the mid-1600s.

See also: on, prevail

prevail on

or prevail upon

v.

To successfully persuade or induce someone to do something: We prevailed on the committee to stop the developers from building a shopping mall. Lobbyists prevailed upon the president to veto the legislation.

See also: on, prevail