Dictionary

avert en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /əˈvɜːt/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /əˈvɝt/ (General-American)

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”).

Meanings

1. (transitive) 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. (transitive) To ward off, or prevent, the occurrence or effects of.
   • 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 14, David Gunston, “Railways on the Screen”, in Railway Magazine, page 90:
   • How can the danger be averted?
   • Till ardent prayer averts the public woe. 1700, Matthew Prior, Carmen Seculare. for the Year 1700:
3. (archaic, intransitive) 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:

Forms

Deriveds

avertable · avertress · avertible · averter

Synonyms

forestall · hinder

Translations (74)

ru отрази́ть (to ward off) · ru отража́ть (to ward off) · mi wawao (to ward off) · ru отводи́ть (to turn aside) · hu megakadályoz (to ward off) · el αποσοβώ (to ward off) · mi kaupapare (to turn aside) · mi kaupare (to turn aside) · fr éviter (to ward off) · mi ārai (to ward off) · ru отвраща́ть (to ward off) · de abwenden (to turn aside) · eo forturni (to turn aside) · de abwenden (to ward off) · hu elfordít (to turn aside) · es evitar (to ward off) · mi pare (to ward off) · el αποστρέφω (to turn aside) · sv vända bort (to turn aside) · ru отвести́ (to turn aside) · cs předejít (to ward off) · ml അകറ്റുക (to ward off) · bg отблъсквам (to ward off) · mk спре́чи (to ward off) · de verhindern (to ward off) · is snúa frá (to turn aside) · ko 돌리다 (to turn aside) · ru отби́ть (to ward off) · mk о́дбегне (to ward off) · is snúa sér undan (to turn aside) · nl voorkomen (to ward off) · ko 방지하다 (to ward off) · is koma í veg fyrir (to ward off) · ru отврати́ть (to ward off) · cs odvrátit (to ward off) · nl ontwijken (to turn aside) · cs zabránit (to ward off) · fi estää (to ward off) · mi parepare (to ward off) · mi papare (to ward off) · es prevenir (to ward off) · hu elhárít (to ward off) · el αποτρέπω (to ward off) · is snúa undan (to turn aside) · fi ehkäistä (to ward off) · hi रोकना (to ward off) · fi kääntää poispäin (to turn aside) · mk о́дврати (to ward off) · cs odvrátit (to turn aside) · is beina frá (to turn aside) · es desviar (to turn aside) · mk о́дбие (to ward off) · bg отбивам (to ward off) · nl verhinderen (to ward off) · mi araarai (to ward off) · hu kivéd (to ward off) · ru пари́ровать (to ward off) · ml ഒഴിവാക്കുക (to ward off) · mk и́збегне (to ward off) · ru предотврати́ть (to ward off) · fr détourner (to turn aside) · is líta undan (to turn aside) · bg отклонявам (to turn aside) · mk о́дврати (to turn aside) · it distogliere (to turn aside) · es apartar (to turn aside) · es impedir (to ward off) · hi टालना (to turn aside) · fr prévenir (to ward off) · ru отбива́ть (to ward off) · it evitare (to ward off) · hu elkerül (to ward off) · ru предотвраща́ть (to ward off) · is afstýra (to ward off)