to prevent someone from doing something or to make someone less enthusiastic about doing something: deter sb from doing sth High prices deter many young people from entering the property market.

prevent (someone or something) from (doing something) To stop a person or thing from being able to do something. Something is preventing the machine from turning off, so the motor is getting overheated. The government is trying to prevent us from exercising our right to free speech.

to try to prevent something or to prevent someone from doing something, especially by making it difficult to do or by showing that you do not approve of it discourage (doing) something a campaign to discourage smoking among teenagers discourage somebody I leave a light on when I'm out to discourage burglars. discourage somebody from doing something His parents tried to discourage him from being an actor.

to stop someone from doing something; to stop something from happening prevent something/somebody The accident could have been prevented. The government took steps to prevent a scandal. prevent somebody/something from doing something He is prevented by law from holding a license.