different between contend vs avert

English

Etymology

From Middle English contenden, borrowed from Old French contendre, from Latin contendere (“to stretch out, extend, strive after, contend”), from com- (“together”) + tendere (“to stretch”); see tend, and compare attend, extend, intend, subtend.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /k?n?t?nd/
• Rhymes: -?nd

Verb

contend (third-person singular simple present contends, present participle contending, simple past and past participle contended)

1. To strive in opposition; to contest; to dispute; to vie; to quarrel; to fight.
   • 1611, King James Version, Deuteronomy ii. 9

     The Lord said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle.
2. To struggle or exert oneself to obtain or retain possession of, or to defend.
   • 17th century, John Dryden, Epistle III to the Lady Castlemain

     You sit above, and see vain men below / Contend for what you only can bestow.

3. To strive in debate; to engage in discussion; to dispute; to argue.

   • these simple ideas are far from those innate principles which some contend for

   • 1667, Richard Allestree, The Causes of the Decay of Christian Piety

     many of those things he so fiercely contended about , were either falle or trivial

4. To believe (something is reasonable) and argue (for it); to advocate.

   In this paper the author contends that no useful results can be obtained if this method is used.

Synonyms

• (strive in opposition): fight, combat, vie, oppose
• (struggle): struggle, strive, emulate (rare)
• (strive in debate): contest, litigate, dispute, debate
• (believe and argue): assert, aver

Related terms

• contender
• contention
• contentious

Translations

Further reading

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

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