eschew
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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[edit] English
[edit] Etymology
From Middle English eschewen, from Anglo-Norman eschiver (third-person present eschiu), of Germanic origin, from Frankish *sciuhan (“to dread, shun, avoid”), from Proto-Germanic *skiuhwijanan (“to frighten”). Cognate with Old High German sciuhen (“to frighten off”). More at shy.
[edit] Pronunciation
[edit] Verb
eschew (third-person singular simple present eschews, present participle eschewing, simple past and past participle eschewed)
- (transitive, formal) To avoid; to shun, to shy away from.
[edit] Usage notes
- The verb eschew is not normally applied to the avoidance or shunning of a person or physical object, but rather, only to the avoidance or shunning of an idea, concept, or other intangible.
[edit] Quotations
| 1599 | 1927 | ||||||
| ME « | 15th c. | 16th c. | 17th c. | 18th c. | 19th c. | 20th c. | 21st c. |
- 1599, William Shakespeare, The Merry Wives of Windsor
- What cannot be eschew’d must be embrac’d.
- 1927, H.P. Lovecraft, The Horror at Red Hook
- He could afford no servants, and would admit but few visitors to his absolute solitude; eschewing close friendships and receiving his rare acquaintances in one of the three ground-floor rooms which he kept in order.
[edit] Related terms
[edit] Translations
avoid, shun
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