Dictionary

deflect en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /dɪˈflɛkt/ (UK)

Etymology

From Latin deflecto, from de- (“away”) + flecto (“to bend”).

Meanings

1. (transitive) To make (something) deviate from its original path or position.
2. (transitive) To touch the ball, often unwittingly, after a shot or a sharp pass, thereby making it unpredictable for the other players.
   • The defender deflected the cross into his own net.
3. (intransitive) To deviate from an original path or position.
4. (figuratively, transitive) To avoid addressing (questions, criticism, etc.).
   • The Prime Minister deflected some increasingly pointed questions by claiming he had an appointment.
5. (figuratively, transitive) To divert (attention, etc.).
   • Certainly there was much in the relationship itself that, with so much energy deflected into logistic maneuvering was never […] "worked out." 1979 December 29, Rudy Kikel, “Young Men”, in Gay Community News, volume 7, number 23, page 16:
   • Critics suggest that Fernández, an unashamed populist and nationalist, is seeking to deflect attention from social disharmony at home. 2013 January 3, Luke Harding, Uki Goni, “Argentina urges UK to hand back Falklands and 'end colonialism”, in The Guardian:
6. To redirect culpability to avoid it.

Forms

Deriveds

deflectometer · deflectometry · deflectable · deflective · deflector · redeflect

Relateds

deflection

Synonyms

elude

Translations (57)

hu elterel (to divert attention, etc.) · hu eltérül (to deviate) · hy շեղել (to make deviate) · ca desviar-se (to deviate) · es desviarse (to deviate) · ru уклони́ться (to avoid addressing questions, criticism etc.) · es desviar (to make deviate) · es deflectar (to make deviate) · de abfälschen (to make a ball unpredictable) · fi poikkeuttaa (to make deviate) · de abweichen (to deviate) · mi whakangungu (to make deviate) · de ausweichen (to avoid addressing questions, criticism etc.) · bg отклонявам (to make deviate) · hu elterelődik (to deviate) · es rebatir (to make deviate) · ca desviar (to make deviate) · ru отклони́ться (to deviate) · fi poiketa (to deviate) · gl desviar (to make a ball unpredictable) · la dēflectō (to make deviate) · de ablenken (to make deviate) · hu elhárít (to avoid addressing questions, criticism etc.) · ms mendefleksikan (to make deviate) · ms memesongkan (to make deviate) · hu eltérít (to make deviate) · de zerstreuen (to divert attention, etc.) · fr détourner (to make deviate) · ms pesongkan (to make deviate) · ru отклоня́ть (to make deviate) · hu elüt (to make a ball unpredictable) · hu elhajlik (to deviate) · ru отклоня́ться (to deviate) · hu kitér (to deviate) · id mendefleksikan (to make deviate) · fr dévier (to deviate) · de abwehren (to make a ball unpredictable) · es deflexionar (to make deviate) · sv avvika (to deviate) · hu elhajlít (to make deviate) · sv avböja (to make deviate) · ru уклоня́ться (to avoid addressing questions, criticism etc.) · id belokkan (to make deviate) · hu eltér (to deviate) · de ausweichen (to deviate) · ms defleksikan (to make deviate) · ru отклони́ть (to make deviate) · hy շեղվել (to deviate) · hu kitér … elől (to avoid addressing questions, criticism etc.) · es desviar (to make a ball unpredictable) · id defleksikan (to make deviate) · tl ilihis (to make deviate) · es deflejar (to make deviate) · sv avlänka (to make deviate) · id membelokkan (to make deviate) · bg отклонявам се (to deviate) · pt desviar (to make a ball unpredictable)