Adjacent Words

Avert definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

AVERT', v.t. [L. averto, a, from, and verto, to turn, anciently, vorto; hence vertex, vortex, averto; probably allied to L. vario; Eng. veer.]
1. To turn from; to turn off or away; as, to avert the eyes from an object.
2. To keep off, divert or prevent; as, to avert an approaching calamity.
3. To cause to dislike. But this sense seems to be improper, except when heart or some equivalent word is used; as, to avert the heart or affections, which may signify to alienate the affections.
AVERT', v.i. To turn away.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

v
1: prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening; "Let's avoid a confrontation"; "head off a confrontation"; "avert a strike" [syn: debar, forefend, forfend, obviate, deflect, avert, head off, stave off, fend off, avoid, ward off]
2: turn away or aside; "They averted their eyes when the King entered" [syn: avert, turn away]

Merriam Webster's

transitive verb Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French avertir, from Latin avertere, from ab- + vertere to turn — more at worth Date: 15th century 1. to turn away or aside (as the eyes) in avoidance 2. to see coming and ward off ; avoid <avert disaster>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v.tr. (often foll. by from) 1 turn away (one's eyes or thoughts). 2 prevent or ward off (an undesirable occurrence). Derivatives: avertable adj. avertible adj. Etymology: ME f. L avertere (as AB-, vertere vers- turn): partly f. OF avertir f. Rmc

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Avert A*vert", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Averted; p. pr. & vb. n. Averting.] [L. avertere; a, ab + vertere to turn: cf. OF. avertir. See Verse, n.] To turn aside, or away; as, to avert the eyes from an object; to ward off, or prevent, the occurrence or effects of; as, how can the danger be averted? ``To avert his ire.'' --Milton. When atheists and profane persons do hear of so many discordant and contrary opinions in religion, it doth avert them from the church. --Bacon. Till ardent prayer averts the public woe. --Prior.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Avert A*vert", v. i. To turn away. [Archaic] Cold and averting from our neighbor's good. --Thomson.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(averts, averting, averted) 1. If you avert something unpleasant, you prevent it from happening. Talks with the teachers' union over the weekend have averted a strike... VERB: V n 2. If you avert your eyes or gaze from someone or something, you look away from them. VERB

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

v. a. 1. Turn aside, turn away, turn off. 2. Prevent, divert, preclude, ward off, keep off. See forefend.

Moby Thesaurus

about-face, anticipate, balk, bar, bear off, check, debar, deflect, deter, discourage, dishearten, divert, draw aside, ease off, edge off, estop, exclude, face about, fend, fend off, fly off, foil, forbid, foreclose, forestall, frustrate, gee, glance, glance off, go off, halt, haw, head off, help, jib, keep from, keep off, make way for, move aside, obviate, pivot, preclude, prevent, prohibit, remove, repel, right-about-face, rule out, save, sheer, sheer off, shove aside, shunt, shy, shy off, side, sidestep, sidetrack, sidle, stave off, stay, steer clear of, step aside, stop, switch, thwart, transfer, turn aside, turn away, turn back, veer, veer off, volte-face, ward, ward off, wheel, whip, whirl