avert

• POS: Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: a=vert

CIDE DICTIONARY

avert, v. t. [L. avertere; a, ab + vertere to turn: cf. OF. avertir. See Verse, n.].

 To turn aside, or away; as, to avert the eyes from an object; to ward off, or prevent, the occurrence or effects of; as, how can the danger be averted? “To avert his ire.”  Milton.  [1913 Webster]
"When atheists and profane persons do hear of so many discordant and contrary opinions in religion, it doth avert them from the church."  [1913 Webster]
"Till ardent prayer averts the public woe."  [1913 Webster]

avert, v. i. 

 To turn away.  [1913 Webster]
"Cold and averting from our neighbor's good."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

avert, v.tr. (often foll. by from)
1 turn away (one's eyes or thoughts).
2 prevent or ward off (an undesirable occurrence).

Derivative

avertable adj. avertible adj.

Etymology

ME f. L avertere (as AB-, vertere vers- turn): partly f. OF avertir f. Rmc

THESAURUS

avert

about-face, anticipate, balk, bar, bear off, check, debar, deflect, deter, discourage, dishearten, divert, draw aside, ease off, edge off, estop, exclude, face about, fend, fend off, fly off, foil, forbid, foreclose, forestall, frustrate, gee, glance, glance off, go off, halt, haw, head off, help, jib, keep from, keep off, make way for, move aside, obviate, pivot, preclude, prevent, prohibit, remove, repel, right-about-face, rule out, save, sheer, sheer off, shove aside, shunt, shy, shy off, side, sidestep, sidetrack, sidle, stave off, stay, steer clear of, step aside, stop, switch, thwart, transfer, turn aside, turn away, turn back, veer, veer off, volte-face, ward, ward off, wheel, whip, whirl

ROGET THESAURUS

avert

Hindrance

VB hinder, impede, filibuster, impedite, embarrass, keep off, stave off, ward off, obviate, avert, antevert, turn aside, draw off, prevent, forefend, nip in the bud, retard, slacken, check, let, counteract, countercheck, preclude, debar, foreclose, estop, inhibit, shackle, restrict, obstruct, stop, stay, bar, bolt, lock, block, block up, choke off, belay, barricade, block the way, bar the way, stop the way, forelay, dam up, put on the brake, scotch the wheel, lock the wheel, put a spoke in the wheel, put a stop to, traverse, contravene, interrupt, intercept, oppose, hedge in, hedge round, cut off, inerclude, interpose, interfere, intermeddle, cramp, hamper, clog, clog the wheels, cumber, encumber, incumber, handicap, choke, saddle with, load with, overload, lay, lumber, trammel, tie one's hands, put to inconvenience, incommode, discommode, discompose, hustle, corner, drive into a corner, run foul of, fall foul of, cross the path of, break in upon, thwart, frustrate, disconcert, balk, foil, faze, feaze, feeze, baffle, snub, override, circumvent, defeat, spike guns, spoil, mar, clip the wings of, cripple, put an extinguisher on, damp, dishearten, discountenance, throw cold water on, spoil sport, lay a wet blanket, throw a wet blanket on, cut the ground from under one, take the wind out of one's sails, undermine, be in the way of, stand in the way of, act as a drag, hang like a millstone round one's neck.