To preclude something is to make it impossible before it can happen — to shut the door in advance. A knee injury precluded a career in football: the injury did not just discourage the career, it closed off the possibility.

To preclude something要preclude某件事 is to make it impossible before it can happen就是在它發生之前就讓它變得不可能 to shut the door in advance事先把門關上 A knee injury一次膝蓋受傷 precluded a career in football讓一個足球生涯變得不可能 the injury did not just discourage the career這個傷不只是讓人打消念頭 it closed off the possibility而是把可能性整個封死

This is a formal word, at home in law, official rules, academic writing and careful journalism.

This is a formal word這是個正式的字 at home in law, official rules, academic writing and careful journalism常見於法律、正式規章、學術寫作，和嚴謹的新聞報導

The pattern to learn is 'X precludes Y' or 'X precludes someone from doing Y', where X is usually a rule, a fact or a condition rather than a person choosing. So 'the contract precludes us from selling the data' is natural; 'my brother precluded me from going' is not — you would say 'stopped me'.

The pattern to learn要學的句型是 is 'X precludes Y' or 'X precludes someone from doing Y''X precludes Y'，或'X precludes someone from doing Y' where X is usually a rule, a fact or a condition這裡的X通常是一條規則、一個事實，或一個條件 rather than a person choosing而不是一個人在做選擇 So 'the contract precludes us from selling the data' is natural所以'the contract precludes us from selling the data'很自然 'my brother precluded me from going' is not'my brother precluded me from going'就不自然 you would say 'stopped me'這時你會說'stopped me'

One very common use is to say two things can both be true: 'accepting the offer does not preclude looking for other work.' That negative form, 'does not preclude', is probably where you will meet it most, and it means 'still leaves it possible'.

One very common use有一種很常見的用法 is to say two things can both be true是用來說兩件事可以同時成立 'accepting the offer does not preclude looking for other work'像'accepting the offer does not preclude looking for other work' That negative form, 'does not preclude'那個否定形式的'does not preclude' is probably where you will meet it most大概是你最常碰到它的地方 and it means 'still leaves it possible'意思是「還是留有可能」

Compare 'prevent', which is the everyday word and can describe stopping something already under way; preclude is about the possibility itself, decided beforehand.

Compare 'prevent'拿'prevent'來比較 which is the everyday word那是日常用的字 and can describe stopping something already under way可以用來描述阻止一件已經在進行中的事 preclude is about the possibility itself而preclude說的是可能性本身 decided beforehand是事先就決定好的