prevailpre·vail /prɪˈveɪl/ verb [intransitiveI] formal1if someone or their arguments, views etc prevail, they finally win an argument after a long period of timeThe company is hoping to prevail in a court challenge to the water board ruling.
prevail overKimberly-Clark is asking for a ruling that its patent should prevail over the one issued to P&G.
2if an attitude or belief prevails, it continues to exist in a particular situationPessimism and gloom have continued to prevail about Britain’s economic expectations.
prevail in/amongSlow holiday trading prevailed in the Treasury market yesterday.
the new spirit of caution that now prevails among Japan’s car makers