divert

English

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /daɪˈvɜːt/
• 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 by John Milton and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)

     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 by C. J. Smith and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)

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

4. (obsolete, intransitive) To turn aside; to digress.
   • (Can we date this quote by Evelyn and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)

     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／转向 (zh), 转向 (zh) (zhuǎnxiàng)

• Finnish: poiketa (fi)
• French: dévier (fr)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• German: umlenken (de), 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／转移 (zh) (zhuǎnyí), 转移 (zh) (zhuǎnyí)

• Finnish: harhauttaa (fi), hämätä (fi)
• German: ablenken (de)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• 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／遣闷 (zh) (qiǎnmèn), 遣闷 (zh) (qiǎnmèn)

• Finnish: viihdyttää (fi)
• French: divertir (fr)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• 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, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “divert”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.

Anagrams

• verdit