prévalez

Prévalez is the second-person plural present indicative form of the French verb prévaloir, which means to prevail, to be superior, to have priority, or to be decisive in a given context. The form can also appear as the imperative in the vous form, used to give a command such as “Prevail over them” or more generally “Prevail!”

Etymology and meaning: Prévaloir comes from Latin praevalēre, literally “to be strong before,” combining prae- (before, in front) with valere (to be worth, to be strong). In French, it conveys that one thing carries more weight or has greater importance than another, or that a rule, claim, or right takes precedence.

Conjugation notes: In the présent de l’indicatif, the full set is: je prévale, tu prévales, il prévale, nous prévalons, vous prévalez, ils prévalent. The form prévalez is thus the vous form in present tense and also the imperative form used to address a group: Prévalez!

Usage: Prévaloir is common in formal, legal, administrative, or argumentative writing, where one rule or right supersedes another. It can describe the superiority of a claim, a rule taking precedence, or the effectiveness of a measure. In everyday speech, speakers more often use synonyms like emporter or dominer, depending on nuance.

Examples:

- Cette disposition prévaloit sur les usages antérieurs. (This provision prevailed over prior practices.)

- Les droits du titulaire prévalent sur ceux des tiers.

- Dans ce contexte, il faut prévaloir sur les objections et poursuivre le plan.