divert

English

Etymology

From Middle English diverten, Old French divertir (“to turn or go different ways, part, separate, divert”), from Latin di- (“apart”) + vertere (“to turn”); see verse.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /daɪˈvɜːt/
• (US) IPA^(key): /daɪˈvɝt/, /dɪˈvɝt/
• Rhymes: -ɜː(r)t

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Verb

divert (third-person singular simple present diverts, present participle diverting, simple past and past participle diverted)

1. (transitive) To turn aside from a course.

   The workers diverted the stream away from the road.

   • (Can we date this quote?) John Milton

     that crude apple that diverted Eve

2. (transitive) To distract.

   Don't let him divert your attention; keep your eye on the ball.

3. (transitive) To entertain or amuse (by diverting the attention)
   • (Can we date this quote?) C. J. Smith

     We are amused by a tale, diverted by a comedy.

4. (obsolete, intransitive) To turn aside; to digress.
   • (Can we date this quote?) Evelyn

     I diverted to see one of the prince's palaces.

Synonyms

• (to lead away from a course): offlead

Related terms

• diversion
• diversity
• diverse

Translations

turn aside

• Bulgarian: отклонявам (bg) (otklonjavam)
• Catalan: desviar (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 轉向 (zh), 转向 (zh) (zhuǎnxiàng)

• Finnish: poiketa (fi)
• French: dévier (fr)

• German: umlenken, umleiten (de)
• Greek: εκτρέπω (el) (ektrépo)
• Maori: whakapeau, whakahipa
• Russian: отводи́ть (ru) impf (otvodítʹ), отвести́ (ru) pf (otvestí), отклоня́ть (ru) impf (otklonjátʹ), отклони́ть (ru) pf (otklonítʹ)
• Spanish: desviar (es)

distract

• Bulgarian: отвличам (bg) (otvličam)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 轉移 (zh), 转移 (zh) (zhuǎnyí)

• Finnish: harhauttaa (fi), hämätä (fi)
• German: ablenken (de)

• Greek: αποσπώ (el) (apospó)
• Ido: distraktar (io)
• Russian: отвлека́ть (ru) impf (otvlekátʹ), отвле́чь (ru) pf (otvléčʹ)
• Spanish: entretener (es), distraer (es), desviar (es)
• Swedish: avleda (sv)

entertain

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 遣悶 (zh), 遣闷 (zh) (qiǎnmèn)

• Finnish: viihdyttää (fi)
• French: divertir (fr)
• Greek: διασκεδάζω (el) (diaskedázo)

• Ido: distraktar (io), amuzar (io)
• Russian: развлека́ть (ru) impf (razvlekátʹ), развле́чь (ru) pf (razvléčʹ), забавля́ть (ru) impf (zabavljátʹ), позаба́вить (ru) pf (pozabávitʹ)
• Spanish: distraer (es)

Further reading

• divert in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• divert in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911

Anagrams

• verdit