avoid

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English [edit]

Etymology [edit]

From Middle English avoiden, from Anglo-Norman avoider, Old French esvuidier (“to empty out”), from es- + vuidier, from Latin viduare (“to empty”), from viduus (“empty”); see void.

Pronunciation [edit]

Verb [edit]

avoid (third-person singular simple present avoids, present participle avoiding, simple past and past participle avoided)

  1. (transitive) To keep away from; to keep clear of; to endeavor not to meet; to shun; to abstain from; as, to avoid the company of gamesters.
    • 1526, Bible, tr. William Tyndale, Matthew 4:
      The devyll [...] sayde unto hym: all these will I geve the, iff thou wilt faull doune and worship me. Then sayde Jesus unto hym. Avoyde Satan.
    • 2012 June 19, Phil McNulty, “England 1-0 Ukraine”, BBC Sport:
      England could have met world and European champions Spain but that eventuality was avoided by Sweden's 2-0 win against France, and Rooney's first goal in a major tournament since scoring twice in the 4-2 victory over Croatia in Lisbon at Euro 2004.
  2. (transitive, obsolete) To make empty; to clear.
  3. (transitive, now law) To make void, to annul; to refute (especially a contract).
  4. (transitive, law) To defeat or evade; to invalidate. Thus, in a replication, the plaintiff may deny the defendant's plea, or confess it, and avoid it by stating new matter.
  5. (transitive, obsolete) To emit or throw out; to void; as, to avoid excretions.
  6. (transitive, obsolete) To leave, evacuate; to leave as empty, to withdraw or come away from.
    • 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book X:
      And therewith anone cam another knyght of the castell; and he was smyttyn so sore that he avoyded hys sadyll.
  7. (transitive) (obsolete) To get rid of.
  8. (intransitive, obsolete) To retire; to withdraw, depart, go away.
  9. (intransitive) (obsolete) To become void or vacant.

Usage notes [edit]

Derived terms [edit]

Translations [edit]

to keep away from
(law) To defeat or evade; to invalidate

External links [edit]

  • avoid at OneLook Dictionary Search
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