to avoid

  • 21avoid — (v.) c.1300, from Anglo Fr. avoider to clear out, withdraw (oneself), partially anglicized from O.Fr. esvuidier to empty out, from es out (see EX (Cf. ex )) + vuidier to be empty, from voide empty, vast, wide, hollow, waste (see VOID (Cf …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 22avoid someone like the plague — avoid (someone/something) like the plague to keep far away from someone or something. When he was in high school, he avoided girls like the plague. Usage notes: usually said about someone or something you fear or do not like Etymology: based on… …

    New idioms dictionary

  • 23avoid something like the plague — avoid (someone/something) like the plague to keep far away from someone or something. When he was in high school, he avoided girls like the plague. Usage notes: usually said about someone or something you fear or do not like Etymology: based on… …

    New idioms dictionary

  • 24avoid like the plague — avoid (someone/something) like the plague to keep far away from someone or something. When he was in high school, he avoided girls like the plague. Usage notes: usually said about someone or something you fear or do not like Etymology: based on… …

    New idioms dictionary

  • 25avoid — *escape, shun, eschew, evade, elude Analogous words: avert, ward, *prevent, obviate: forestall, anticipate (see PREVENT): flee, fly (see ESCAPE) Antonyms: face: meet Contrasted words: *incur, contract, catch: court, solicit, * …

    New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • 26avoid — [v] refrain or stay away from; prevent abstain, avert, bypass, circumlocute, circumvent, deflect, desist, ditch, divert, dodge, duck, elude, escape, eschew, evade, fake out*, fend off, flee, give the slip*, hide, hold off, jump, keep clear, lay… …

    New thesaurus

  • 27avoid — ► VERB 1) keep away or refrain from. 2) prevent from doing or happening. DERIVATIVES avoidable adjective avoidably adverb avoidance noun. ORIGIN Old French evuider clear out, get rid of …

    English terms dictionary

  • 28avoid somebody like the plague — avoid sb/sth like the ˈplague idiom (informal) to try very hard not to meet sb, do sth, etc • She s been avoiding me like the plague since the party last Saturday. Main entry: ↑avoididiom …

    Useful english dictionary

  • 29avoid */*/*/ — UK [əˈvɔɪd] / US verb [transitive] Word forms avoid : present tense I/you/we/they avoid he/she/it avoids present participle avoiding past tense avoided past participle avoided Get it right: avoid: Avoid is never used with an infinitive. It is… …

    English dictionary

  • 30avoid — a|void [ ə vɔıd ] verb transitive *** 1. ) to try not to go near someone or something: We went early to avoid the crowds. Avoid that area after dark. avoid doing something: He had to brake hard to avoid hitting the deer. a ) to make certain that… …

    Usage of the words and phrases in modern English