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Webster 1913 Edition

Avert

A-vert′

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Averted
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Averting
.]
[L.
avertere
;
a
,
ab
+
vertere
to turn: cf. OF.
avertir
. See
Verse
,
Noun.
]
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.
When atheists and profane persons do hear of so many discordant and contrary opinions in religion, it doth
avert
them from the church.
Bacon.
Till ardent prayer
averts
the public woe.
Prior.

A-vert′

,
Verb.
I.
To turn away.
[Archaic]
Cold and
averting
from our neighbor’s good.
Thomson.

Webster 1828 Edition

Avert

AVERT'

,
Verb.
T.
[L. averto, a, from, and verto, to turn, anciently, vorto; hence vertex, vortex, averto; probably allied to L. vario; Eng. veer.]
1.
To turn from; to turn off or away; as, to avert the eyes from an object.
2.
To keep off, divert or prevent; as, to avert an approaching calamity.
3.
To cause to dislike. But this sense seems to be improper, except when heart or some equivalent word is used; as, to avert the heart or affections, which may signify to alienate the affections.

AVERT'

,
Verb.
I.
To turn away.

Definition 2024

avert

avert

English

Verb

avert ‎(third-person singular simple present averts, present participle averting, simple past and past participle averted)

  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?
    • Milton
      To avert his ire.
    • Prior
      Till ardent prayer averts the public woe.
  3. (intransitive, archaic) To turn away.
    • Thomson
      Cold and averting from our neighbour's good.
  4. (transitive, archaic) To turn away.
    • Francis Bacon
      When atheists and profane persons do hear of so many discordant and contrary opinions in religion, it doth avert them from the church.

Derived terms

Synonyms

  • (to prevent): forestall
  • See also Wikisaurus:hinder

Translations

References

  • "avert" at OneLook® Dictionary Search.

Anagrams

Romansch

Alternative forms

  • (Sursilvan, Sutsilvan, Puter) aviert

Etymology

From Latin apertus.

Adjective

avert m (feminine singular averta, masculine plural averts, feminine plural avertas)

  1. (Rumantsch Grischun, Surmiran, Vallader) open

Etymology

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”).

Pronunciation

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