AVERT
WordNet
verb
(1) Turn away or aside
"They averted their eyes when the King entered"
(2) Prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening
"Let's avoid a confrontation"
"Head off a confrontation"
"Avert a strike"
WiktionaryText
Etymology
Latin avertere; a, ab + vertere to turn. Compare Old French avertir. See verse (nous).
Verb
- To turn aside or away.
- To avert the eyes from an object.
- To ward off, or prevent, the occurrence or effects of.
- How can the danger be averted?
- To turn away.
- Cold and averting from our neighbor's good. - Thomson
Quotations
- To avert his ire. - John Milton
- When atheists and profane persons do hear of so many discordant and contrary opinions in religion, it doth avert them from the church. - Francis Bacon
- Till ardent prayer averts the public woe. - Prior