Avert

Origin

From Old French avertir ("turn, direct, avert; turn the attention, make aware"), from Latin āvertere, present active infinitive of āvertō, from ab + vertō ("to turn").

Full definition of avert

Verb

1. (transitive) To turn aside or away.To avert the eyes from an object.
2. (transitive) To ward off, or prevent, the occurrence or effects of.How can the danger be averted?
• MiltonTo avert his ire.
• PriorTill ardent prayer averts the public woe.
3. (intransitive, archaic) To turn away.
• ThomsonCold and averting from our neighbour's good.
4. (transitive, archaic) To turn away.
• Francis BaconWhen atheists and profane persons do hear of so many discordant and contrary opinions in religion, it doth avert them from the church.

Derived terms

• averter agent noun: epicene or masculine
• avertress agent noun: feminine

Synonyms

• (to prevent) forestall

Anagrams

• trave, Trave