elude

• POS: Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: e=lude

CIDE DICTIONARY

elude, v. t. [L. eludere, elusum; e + ludere to play: cf. F. éluder. See Ludicrous.].

 To avoid slyly, by artifice, stratagem, or dexterity; to escape from in a covert manner; to mock by an unexpected escape; to baffle; as, to elude an officer; to elude detection, inquiry, search, comprehension; to elude the force of an argument or a blow.  [1913 Webster]
"Me gentle Delia beckons from the plain,
Then, hid in shades, eludes he eager swain."  [1913 Webster]
"The transition from fetichism to polytheism seems a gradual process of which the stages elude close definition."

Syn. -- To evade; avoid; escape; shun; eschew; flee; mock; baffle; frustrate; foil.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

elude, v.tr.
1 escape adroitly from (a danger, difficulty, pursuer, etc.); dodge.
2 avoid compliance with (a law, request, etc.) or fulfilment of (an obligation).
3 (of a fact, solution, etc.) escape from or baffle (a person's memory or understanding).

Derivative

elusion n. elusory adj.

Etymology

L eludere elus- (as E-, ludere play)

THESAURUS

elude

avoid, baffle, balk, beg, bewilder, bilk, blast, brave, challenge, checkmate, circumvent, confound, confront, confuse, contravene, counter, counteract, countermand, counterwork, cross, dash, deceive, defeat, defy, destroy, discomfit, disconcert, discountenance, dish, disrupt, ditch, dodge, double, duck, escape, eschew, evade, flee, flummox, fly, foil, frustrate, get around, get away from, get out of, get round, give the runaround, give the slip, go one better, knock the chocks, nonplus, outfigure, outflank, outgeneral, outguess, outmaneuver, outplay, outreach, outsmart, outwit, overreach, pass the buck, perplex, puzzle, ruin, sabotage, scotch, shake, shake off, shuffle out of, shun, shy, skirt, spike, spoil, stonewall, stump, thwart, upset, victimize

ROGET THESAURUS

elude

Avoidance

VB abstain, refrain, spare, not attempt, not do, maintain the even tenor of one's way, eschew, keep from, let alone, have nothing to do with, keep aloof keep off, stand aloof, stand off, hold aloof, hold off, take no part in, have no hand in, avoid, shun, steer clear of, keep clear of, fight shy of, keep one's distance, keep at a respectful distance, keep out of the way, get out of the way, evade, elude, turn away from, set one's face against, deny oneself, shrink back, hang back, hold back, draw back, recoil, retire, flinch, blink, blench, shy, shirk, dodge, parry, make way for, give place to, beat a retreat, turn tail, turn one's back, take to one's heels, runaway, run for one's life, cut and run, be off like a shot, fly, flee, fly away, flee away, run away from, take flight, take to flight, desert, elope, make off, scamper off, sneak off, shuffle off, sheer off, break away, tear oneself away, slip away, slink away, steel away, make away from, scamper away from, sneak away from, shuffle away from, sheer away from, slip cable, part company, turn one's heel, sneak out of, play truant, give one the go by, give leg bail, take French leave, slope, decamp, flit, bolt, abscond, levant, skedaddle, absquatulat, cut one's stick, walk one's chalks, show a light pair of heels, make oneself scarce, escape, go away, abandon, reject, lead one a dance, lead one a pretty dance, throw off the scent, play at hide and seek, Adj, unsought, unattempted, avoiding, neutral, shy of, elusive, evasive, fugitive, runaway, shy, wild.

Success

VB succeed, be successful, gain one's end, gain one's ends, crown with success, gain a point, attain a point, carry a point, secure a point, win a point, win an object, get there, manage to, contrive to, accomplish, do wonders, work wonders, make a go of it, come off well, come off successful, come off with flying colors, make short work of, take by storm, carry by storm, bear away the bell, win one's wings, win one's spurs, win the battle, win the day, carry the day, gain the day, gain the prize, gain the palm, have the best of it, have it all one's own way, have the game in one's owns hands, have the ball at one's feet, have one on the hop, walk over the course, carry all before one, remain in possession of the field, score a success, speed, make progress, win one's way, make one's way, work one's way, find one's way, strive to some purpose, prosper, drive a roaring trade, make profit, reap the fruits, gather the fruits, reap the benefit of, reap the harvest, strike oil, gain a windfall, make one's fortune, get in the harvest, turn to good account, turn to account, triumph, be triumphant, gain a victory, obtain a victory, gain an advantage, chain victory to one's car, nail a coonskin to the wall, surmount a difficulty, overcome a difficulty, get over a difficulty, get over an obstacle, se tirer d'affaire, make head against, stem the torrent, stem the tide, stem the current, weather the storm, weather a point, turn a corner, keep one's head above water, tide over, master, get the better of, have the better of, gain the better of, gain the best of, gain the upper hand, gain the ascendancy, gain the whip hand, gain the start of, distance, surpass, defeat, conquer, vanquish, discomfit, euchre, overcome, overthrow, overpower, overmaster, overmatch, overset, override, overreach, outwit, outdo, outflank, outmaneuver, outgeneral, outvote, take the wind out of one's adversary's sails, beat, beat hollow, rout, lick, drub, floor, worst, put down, put to flight, put to the rout, put hors de combat, put out of court, silence, quell, nonsuit, checkmate, upset, confound, nonplus, stalemate, trump, baffle, circumvent, elude, trip up, trip up the heels of, drive into a corner, drive to the wall, run hard, put one's nose out of joint, settle, do for, break the neck of, break the back of, capsize, sink, shipwreck, drown, swamp, subdue, subjugate, reduce, make the enemy bite the dust, victimize, roll in the dust, trample under foot, put an extinguisher upon, answer, answer the purpose, avail, prevail, take effect, do, turn out well, work well, take, tell, bear fruit, hit it, hit the mark, hit the right nail on the head, nick it, turn up trumps, make a hit, find one's account in.

Nonobservance

VB fail, neglect, omit, elude, evade, give the go-by to, set aside, ignore, shut one's eyes to, close one's eyes to, infringe, transgress, violate, pirate, break, trample under foot, do violence to, drive a coach and six through, discard, protest, repudiate, fling to the winds, set at naught, nullify, declare null and void, cancel, retract, go back from, be off, forfeit, go from one's word, palter, stretch a point, strain a point.

& Sophistry

VB judge intuitively, judge by intuition, hazard a proposition, hazard a guess, talk at random, reason ill, falsely, misjudge, paralogize, take on faith, take as a given, assume (supposition), pervert, quibble, equivocate, mystify, evade, elude, gloss over, varnish, misteach, mislead, cavil, refine, subtilize, split hairs, misrepresent, beg the question, reason in a circle, reason in circles, assume the conclusion, cut blocks with a razor, beat about the bush, play fast and loose, play fast and loose with the facts, blow hot and cold, prove that black is white and white black, travel out of the record, parler a tort et a travers, put oneself out of court, not have a leg to stand on, judge hastily, shoot from the hip, jump to conclusions (misjudgment).