MetaChat - "obviate" versus "preclude"

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18 May 2006

"obviate" versus "preclude" I always know which I'd use in a given sentence, but I'm having trouble articulating why. Would someone less sleep-deprived than I am kindly supply a guideline I can pass on to the people at work?

Like, would a given condition obviate another condition, but
preclude an activity?

post by: tangerine at: 13:27 | 7 comments

Obviate means to render something unnecessary. Preclude merely means stopping something from happening, even if it is still necessary. For example, a failed valve might preclude proper flow of coolant to the reactor core, but it wouldn't obviate it.

posted by brainwidth 18 May | 13:46

Thanks, brainwidth. Makes perfect sense.

posted by tangerine 18 May | 13:47

I believe brainwidth just obviated any further answers to the question, but that doesn't preclude people from trying.

posted by mudpuppie 18 May | 14:00

When a woman is obviating it's easier to conceive a child. A preclude is a passage of music that introduces the main work.

posted by agropyron 18 May | 14:27

mudpuppie wins

posted by knave 18 May | 15:05

It's obviate I'm not gettin any so long as I'm driving this toyota preclude.

posted by Eideteker 18 May | 16:59

damn eide, i hope you know it's a honda. :)

posted by knave 19 May | 00:13

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