Dictionary

diversion en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /daɪˈvɜː.ʃən/ (UK)
• (US) audio
• (Received-Pronunciation) audio
• /dɪˈvɝ.ʒən/ (General-American)
• /daɪˈvɜː.ʒən/ (UK)
• /daɪˈvɝ.ʒən/ (General-American)

Etymology

From Middle English diversion, dyversioun, from Medieval Latin diversiō, from Latin divertō (“to divert”); see divert.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) A tactic used to draw attention away from the real threat or action.
2. (countable, uncountable) A hobby; an activity that distracts the mind.
   • Of those therefore that have attained to the highest degree of honour and riches, some have affected mastery in some art; as Nero in music and poetry, Commodus in the art of a gladiator. And such as affect not some such thing, must find diversion and recreation of their thoughts in the contention either of play, or business. 1640, Thomas Hobbes, The Elements of Law:
3. (countable, uncountable) The act of diverting.
   • Though his account of written communication over the past 5,000 years necessarily has a powerful forward momentum, his diversions down the fascinating byways of the subject are irresistible ... 2013 September 14, Jane Shilling, “The Golden Thread: the Story of Writing, by Ewan Clayton, review [print edition: Illuminating language]”, in The Daily Telegraph (Review), page R29:
   • Further, in response to the trust defense raised at trial, the court did properly instruct the jury on partial diversion when it charged that the funds diverted to Moon's personal use became taxable "to the extent so diverted." Obviously, the word "divert" is in common enough use and understandable by ordinary jurors, so as to require no explanatory charge. 1983, U.S. v. Sun Myung Moon 718 F.2d 1210 (1983):
4. (countable, uncountable) Removal of water via a canal.
5. (countable, uncountable) A detour, such as during road construction.
   • An interesting feature in the weeks preceding the diversions was the provision of a road-learning train to familiarise main line drivers with the alternative route. 1960 February, R. C. Riley, “The London-Birmingham services - Past, Present and Future”, in Trains Illustrated, page 102:
6. (countable, uncountable) The rerouting of cargo or passengers to a new transshipment point or destination, or to a different mode of transportation before arrival at the ultimate destination.
7. (countable, uncountable) Officially halting or suspending a formal criminal or juvenile justice proceeding and referral of the accused person to a treatment or care program.

Forms

Deriveds

diversionist · trade diversion · undiversion · diversional · diversionism · diversionary · diversionless · prediversion · rediversion · biliopancreatic diversion

Relateds

red herring · distraction · diversity · diverse · divert · hobby

Synonyms

feint · hobby (hobby)

Translations (109)

nl verlegging (removal of water via a canal) · es desviación (act of diverting) · es diversión (tactic used to draw attention away from the real threat or action) · ru отвлека́ющий манёвр (tactic used to draw attention away from the real threat or action) · ru развлече́ние (hobby; an activity that distracts the mind) · es divertimento (act of diverting) · ru отклоне́ние (act of diverting) · es desviación (A detour, such as during road construction) · de Umlenken (act of diverting) · la oblectāmentum (hobby; an activity that distracts the mind) · es distracción (tactic used to draw attention away from the real threat or action) · el αντιπερισπασμός (tactic used to draw attention away from the real threat or action) · de Ablenkungsmanöver (tactic used to draw attention away from the real threat or action) · it svago (hobby; an activity that distracts the mind) · es destanteada (tactic used to draw attention away from the real threat or action) · de Abweichen (act of diverting) · mi autaki (rerouting of cargo or passengers to a new transshipment point or destination) · es desvío (A detour, such as during road construction) · nb avledning (act of diverting) · ru объе́зд (A detour, such as during road construction) · es desviamiento (disused) (tactic used to draw attention away from the real threat or action) · es despistada (tactic used to draw attention away from the real threat or action) · da adspredelse (hobby; an activity that distracts the mind) · da omledning (removal of water via a canal) · ga athbhealach (A detour, such as during road construction) · fr déviation (A detour, such as during road construction) · gd dibhearsan (hobby; an activity that distracts the mind) · de Ablenkung (hobby; an activity that distracts the mind) · pt diversão (tactic used to draw attention away from the real threat or action) · de Entwässerung (removal of water via a canal) · sv omledning (A detour, such as during road construction) · da afledningsmanøvre (tactic used to draw attention away from the real threat or action) · bg отклонение (A detour, such as during road construction) · el παράκαμψη (A detour, such as during road construction) · sv förströelse (hobby; an activity that distracts the mind) · de Ableiten (removal of water via a canal) · ru отвлече́ние (act of diverting) · es diversión (act of diverting) · ko 양동 (tactic used to draw attention away from the real threat or action) · sv avledning (act of diverting) · gd seach-shlighe (A detour, such as during road construction) · sv avledningsmanöver (tactic used to draw attention away from the real threat or action) · es desorientación (tactic used to draw attention away from the real threat or action) · fr diversion (tactic used to draw attention away from the real threat or action) · gd seach-stiùireadh (rerouting of cargo or passengers to a new transshipment point or destination) · he הסחה (tactic used to draw attention away from the real threat or action) · mi autaki (A detour, such as during road construction) · pl objazd (A detour, such as during road construction) · ja 陽動 (tactic used to draw attention away from the real threat or action) · nl afleidingsmanoeuvre (tactic used to draw attention away from the real threat or action) · nl verstrooien (act of diverting) · ia deviation (A detour, such as during road construction) · nl misleiding (tactic used to draw attention away from the real threat or action) · de Zeitvertreib (hobby; an activity that distracts the mind) · bg отклоняване (act of diverting) · nl vermaak (hobby; an activity that distracts the mind) · pl objazd (rerouting of cargo or passengers to a new transshipment point or destination) · it diversivo (tactic used to draw attention away from the real threat or action) · bg отвли́чане (tactic used to draw attention away from the real threat or action) · nl verstrooiïng (hobby; an activity that distracts the mind) · de Umleiten (act of diverting) · nl omleiding (rerouting of cargo or passengers to a new transshipment point or destination) · da omlægning (act of diverting) · ga malairt slí (A detour, such as during road construction) · gd spòrs (hobby; an activity that distracts the mind) · de Exkurs (act of diverting) · de Abführen (removal of water via a canal) · da afledning (act of diverting) · da afledning (tactic used to draw attention away from the real threat or action) · la oblectāmen (hobby; an activity that distracts the mind) · es divertimiento (act of diverting) · es despiste (tactic used to draw attention away from the real threat or action) · de Hobby (hobby; an activity that distracts the mind) · de Abschweifen (act of diverting) · gd ath-threòrachadh (tactic used to draw attention away from the real threat or action) · sv avledning (removal of water via a canal) · fi harrastus (hobby; an activity that distracts the mind) · de Zerstreuung (hobby; an activity that distracts the mind) · de Umleitung (A detour, such as during road construction) · bg развлечение (hobby; an activity that distracts the mind) · da omdirigering (rerouting of cargo or passengers to a new transshipment point or destination) · nb omkjøring (A detour, such as during road construction) · cs rozptýlení (hobby; an activity that distracts the mind) · da omkørsel (A detour, such as during road construction) · de Umleitung (rerouting of cargo or passengers to a new transshipment point or destination) · fi kiertotie (rerouting of cargo or passengers to a new transshipment point or destination) · es distracción (act of diverting) · nl ontspannen (act of diverting) · de Unterhaltung (hobby; an activity that distracts the mind) · ru объе́зд (rerouting of cargo or passengers to a new transshipment point or destination) · nl omleiding (A detour, such as during road construction) · el αναψυχή (hobby; an activity that distracts the mind) · de Wasserableiten (removal of water via a canal) · de Ablenkung (tactic used to draw attention away from the real threat or action) · es desviamiento (A detour, such as during road construction) · da afledning (removal of water via a canal) · mi ara autaki (A detour, such as during road construction) · pl dywersja (tactic used to draw attention away from the real threat or action) · el διασκέδαση (hobby; an activity that distracts the mind) · fi harhautus (tactic used to draw attention away from the real threat or action) · da fornøjelse (hobby; an activity that distracts the mind) · ru отво́д (removal of water via a canal) · gd ath-threòrachadh (act of diverting) · es desviamiento (disused) (act of diverting) · sv tidsfördriv (hobby; an activity that distracts the mind) · la āvocāmentum (hobby; an activity that distracts the mind) · cs zábava (hobby; an activity that distracts the mind) · es desviación (tactic used to draw attention away from the real threat or action) · el εκτροπή (removal of water via a canal)