Preventer

Part of speech: noun (n.)

1. One who goes before; one who forestalls or anticipates another. [Obs.] Bacon.

2. One who prevents or obstructs; a hinderer; that which hinders; as, a preventer of evils or of disease.

3. An auxiliary rope to strengthen a mast. Preventer bolts, or Preventer plates (Naut.), fixtures connected with preventers to reënforce other rigging. -- Preventer stay. (Naut.) Same as Preventer, 3.