prevail

/pri-ˈvāl/

Middle English, from Latin praevalēre, from prae- pre- + valēre to be strong

verb

  1. to gain ascendancy through strength or superiority : triumph

  2. to be or become effective or effectual

  3. to use persuasion successfully

phrasal verb

  1. to ask or persuade (someone) to do something

They prevailed on/upon me to play a few tunes on the piano.

idiom

  1. calmer or less angry people have a dominant influence

A fight was avoided when cooler heads prevailed.