avert
verbUS /əˈvɝt/ · UK /əˈvɜːt/
Etymology From Middle English averten, adverten, from Old French avertir (“turn, direct, avert; turn the attention, make aware”), from Latin āvertere, from ab + vertō (“to turn”).
1
To turn aside or away.
- I averted my eyes while my friend typed in her password.
- When atheists and profane persons do hear of so many discordant and contrary opinions in religion, it doth avert them from the church.1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Unity in Religion”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC:
2
To ward off, or prevent, the occurrence or effects of.
- How can the danger be averted?
- Till ardent prayer averts the public woe.1700, Matthew Prior, Carmen Seculare. for the Year 1700:
1 more example
- Indeed, there was some highly questionable jiggery-pokery with couplings and continuous brakes in this agreeable story, which featured Moore Marriott as an old driver who averts a disaster on his last run.1958 February 23, David Gunston, “Railways on the Screen”, in Railway Magazine, page 90:
3
Archaic To turn away.
- Cold and averting from our neighbour's good.a. 1749 (date written), James Thomson, “Spring”, in The Seasons, London: […] A[ndrew] Millar, and sold by Thomas Cadell, […], published 1768, →OCLC:
- Synonyms
- hinder