different between avert vs apotropaism

English

Etymology

From Middle English averten, adverten, from Old French avertir (“turn, direct, avert; turn the attention, make aware”), from Latin ?vertere, present active infinitive of ?vert?, from ab + vert? (“to turn”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /??v??t/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /??v?t/
• Rhymes: -??(?)t

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?

   • 1700, Matthew Prior, Carmen Seculare. for the Year 1700

     Till ardent prayer averts the public woe.

3. (intransitive, archaic) To turn away.

   • Cold and averting from our neighbour's good.

4. (transitive, archaic) To turn away.
   • 1625, Francis Bacon, Of Unity in Religion

     When atheists and profane persons do hear of so many discordant and contrary opinions in religion, it doth avert them from the church.

Synonyms

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

Derived terms

• averter (agent noun: epicene or masculine)
• avertress (agent noun: feminine)

Translations

References

• "avert" at OneLook® Dictionary Search.

Anagrams

• Trave, tarve, trave

Romansch

Alternative forms

• aviert (Sursilvan, Sutsilvan, Puter)

Etymology

From Latin apertus.

Adjective

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

1. (Rumantsch Grischun, Surmiran, Vallader) open

Related terms

• avrir

English

Noun

apotropaism (uncountable)

1. (religion, mysticism) The use of ritual or other magical means (including charms and/or incantations) to avert evil or bad luck.

Related terms

• apotropaic

Translations