avoid

[ uh-void ]
/ əˈvɔɪd /

verb (used with object)

to keep away from; keep clear of; shun: to avoid a person; to avoid taxes; to avoid danger.
to prevent from happening: to avoid falling.
Law. to make void or of no effect; invalidate.
Obsolete. to empty; eject or expel.

Origin of avoid

1250–30; Middle English avoiden < Anglo-French avoider, equivalent to a- a-4 + voider to void

synonym study for avoid

1. Avoid, escape mean to come through a potentially harmful or unpleasant experience, without suffering serious consequences. To avoid is to succeed in keeping away from something dangerous or undesirable: to avoid meeting an enemy. Escape suggests encountering peril but coming through it safely: to escape drowning.

OTHER WORDS FROM avoid

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH avoid

avoid evade avoid ovoid

Example sentences from the Web for avoid

British Dictionary definitions for avoid

avoid
/ (əˈvɔɪd) /

verb (tr)

to keep out of the way of
to refrain from doing
to prevent from happening to avoid damage to machinery
law to make (a plea, contract, etc) void; invalidate; quash
obsolete to expel
obsolete to depart from

Derived forms of avoid

avoidable, adjective avoidably, adverb avoider, noun

Word Origin for avoid

C14: from Anglo-French avoider, from Old French esvuidier, from vuidier to empty, void