Avoid

Definition: Avoid

Avoid

Verb

1. Stay clear from; keep away from; keep out of the way of someone or something; "Her former friends now avoid her".

2. Prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening; "Let's avoid a confrontation"; "head off a confrontation"; "avert a strike".

3. Refrain from doing something; "She refrains from calling her therapist too often"; "He should avoid publishing his wife's memoires".

4. Refrain from certain foods or beverages; "I keep off drugs"; "During Ramadan, Muslims avoid tobacco during the day".

5. Declare invalid; "The contract was annulled"; "avoid a plea".

Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
 

Date "avoid" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1200. (references)

Synonyms: Avoid

Avoidance

Avoid, shun; steer clear of, keep clear of; fight shy of; keep one's distance, keep at a respectful distance; keep out of the way, get out of the way; evade, elude, turn away from; set one's face against; (oppose); deny oneself.

Adjective: lest, in order to avoid.

Dislike

Shun, avoid; eschew; withdraw from, shrink from, recoil from; not be able to bear, not be able to abide, not be able to endure; shrug the shoulders at, shudder at, turn up the nose at, look askance at; make a mouth, make a wry face, make a grimace; make faces.

Unwillingness

Demur, stick at, scruple, stickle; hang fire, run rusty; recoil, shrink, swerve; hesitate; avoid.

Vindication

Advocate, defend, plead one's cause; stand up for, stick up for, speak up for; contend for, speak for; bear out, keep in countenance, support; plead say in defense; plead ignorance; confess and avoid, propugn, put in a good word for.

Crosswords: Avoid

I want to avoid being cheesy, here (The Blair Witch Project; writing credit: Daniel Myrick; Eduardo Sánchez)

If we just avoid any more female advice, we ought to be able to get out of here (Episode IV: A New Hope; writing credit: George Lucas.)

Avoid the clap, Jimmy Dugan (A League of Their Own; writing credit: Kim Wilson; Kelly Candaele)

As you know my paper is dry. Do you have any advice for girl who choose to avoid a life of jazz, and drink (Chicago; writing credit: Maurine Dallas Watkins; Bob Fosse)

No, no. We have already succeeded! I mean, what are the three terrors of the Fire Swamp? One, the flame spurt - no problem! There's a popping sound preceding each; we can avoid that (The Princess Bride; writing credit: William Goldman)

And avoid that circumstance (If Tomorrow Never Comes; performing artist: Garth Brooks)

I'm gonna avoid the cliché (Die Another Day; performing artist: Madonna; writing credit: Madonna)

I tried and I tried to avoid (Oops (Oh My); performing artist: Tweet)

Never put off until tomorrow what you can avoid altogether. (references; author: unknown)

The best way to overcome temptation is to avoid the tempting situation. (references; author: unknown)

Sleeping on the job: The mail courier flipped out and pulled a gun, so I was playing dead to avoid getting shot. (references; author: unknown)

A celebrity is someone who works hard all his life to become known and then wears dark glasses to avoid being recognized. (references; author: unknown)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Books

• 13 Fatal Errors Managers Make and How You Can Avoid Them (reference)

• An Educated Guide to Speeding Tickets: How to Beat & Avoid Them (reference)

• Don't Let the IRS Destroy Your Small Business: Seventy-Six Mistakes to Avoid (reference)

• Lapsing Into a Comma : A Curmudgeon's Guide to the Many Things That Can Go Wrong in Print--and How to Avoid Them (reference)

• Really Bad PowerPoint (and How to Avoid It) [DOWNLOAD: PDF] (reference)

  (more book examples)

Theater & Movies

• How to Avoid Investment Scams (reference)

• Little Medicine, The Wisdom to Avoid big Medicine (reference)

• What is Probate and How Do I Avoid It (reference)

  (more DVD examples; more video examples)

Music

• 19 Ways to Avoid the Draft (reference)

• Avoid Freud (reference)

• Avoid One Thing (reference)

  (more classical music examples; more popular music examples)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

From an overhead angle, 2 pieces of red meat are shown with a knife on a cutting board, sitting on a white tile counter. Above the image, red lettering reads: "Choose lean meats, trim extra fats, avoid adding fat in cooking". Shot on 4x5 format. This was used in the 1989 calendar "Eat for Good Health" February 1989. See artwork: PV-19. Credit: Bill Branson (photographer).

Though death due to a Brown Recluse bite is rare, there is ensuing tissue deterioration at the long-standing wound site, which seems to avoid scab formation. Credit: CDC.

A dive bell support ship must be in a multi-point mooring to avoid dragging. Credit: National Undersea Research Program (NURP).

Surface supplied air is used in polluted water to avoid contact or ingest. Credit: National Undersea Research Program (NURP).

Figure 40. Seligo bottle used to sample a few centimeters below the surface and to avoid floating debris. This was designed in about 1900 by Arthur Seligo. This example was made by Max Marx in 1912. Credit: Sailing for Science - the NOAA Fleet Then and Now.

In mulitple seam areas, shuttle car loading is used to avoid dilution of the potash ore. Credit: J. Olson.

[Man telling two women of his way to avoid cholera] / C.J. Traviés. Credit: National Library of Medicine.

Avoid Unwanted Pregnancy USE A CONDOM : Take control of life before life controls you. Credit: National Library of Medicine.

Tied up together, probably at the New York Navy Yard, circa the late 1880s or early 1890s. Note that their yards have been cocked to avoid striking each other. Credit: NAVY.

Rolling about 35 degrees to starboard as she rides out a typhoon encountered in the South China Sea, probably on 18-19 December 1944. Note that her forward 6"47 gun turret is trained to one side to avoid shipping water through its gun ports. The photograph was released for publication on 26 July 1945. Credit: NAVY.

Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

But this the executive power, or wise princes, never need come in the danger of: and it is the thing, of all others, they have most need to avoid, as of all others the most perilous. (Second Treatise of Government)

In order to avoid a reference of small questions to the League of Nations, Germany will establish a local authority at Kiel qualified to deal with disputes in the first instance and to give satisfaction so far as possible to complaints which may be presented through the consular representatives of the interested Powers. (reference)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

She did not mean to have her own affections entangled again, and it would be incumbent on her to avoid any encouragement of his.

That young girl, he added unexpectedly, "is one of the least benightedly unintelligent life forms it has been my profound lack of pleasure not to be able to avoid meeting.

A man burdened with a secret should especially avoid the intimacy of his physician

It is necessary to understand them, were it only to avoid them

They entered the town and Tom turned down a side street to avoid the center

My master, to avoid a crowd, would suffer only thirty people at a time to see me.

Thus I could avoid all trade and barter, so far as my food was concerned, and having a shelter already, it would only remain to get clothing and fuel

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Health

Try to avoid crowds. (references)

Avoid high-fat meats. (references)

Avoid caffeine and alcohol. (references)

Business

Many importers try to avoid using letters of credit and paying cash in advance. (references)

These companies avoid clearing such equipment through Customs to evade duty charges. (references)

They try to avoid bidding wars, but stakes are going up as they expand their markets. (references)

Children

Indonesia

Families often hide family members with disabilities to avoid social stigma or embarrassment. (references)

Philippines

The Supreme Court promulgated rules designed to avoid trauma to child witnesses, which took effect in January. (references)

Jamaica

However, due to economic circumstances, thousands of children are kept home to help with housework and avoid school fees. (references)

Civil Liberties

Liechtenstein

To avoid repatriation, 92 Kosovars disappeared. (references)

Moldova

As a consequence, journalists practiced self-censorship to avoid lawsuits. (references)

Syria

Religious groups tend to avoid any involvement in internal political affairs. (references)

Economic History

Togo

Many opposition members, including Grunitzky, fled to avoid arrest. (references)

Israel

This helps avoid the problems created by the Kosher Meat Import Law. (references)

Venezuela

A US/Venezuelan treaty to avoid double taxation was ratified in 1999. (references)

Human Rights

Sri Lanka

University administrators temporarily closed the university to avoid violence. (references)

Albania

Each side cites the failures of the other as the reason criminals avoid imprisonment. (references)

Russia

However, lawyers (advocates) try to avoid these cases since the Government does not always pay them. (references)

Indigenous People

Australia

The ATSIC has proposed the Government establish a Reparations Tribunal to avoid costly future legal battles. (references)

Minorities

Israel and the occupied territories

The social security child allowance for parents who did not serve in the military and did not attend a yeshiva (including Arabs) is to equal the allowance of those who had done so. Israeli Arab groups allege that many employers use the prerequisite of military service to avoid hiring non-Jews. (references)

Political Economy

Brunei

In practice citizens do not have the right to change their government, and they generally avoid political activity of any kind. (references)

Political Rights

Moldova

Internationally recognized election monitors refused to observe the December 9 "presidential" election to avoid validating Transnistria's claim of statehood. (references)

Uganda

There were reports that UPDF officers campaigned, and a UPDF officer reportedly was arrested and another went into hiding to avoid arrest for violating army rules against campaigning. (references)

Suriname

In February the first female member of the Court of Justice was sworn in. Although the Constitution prohibits racial and religious discrimination, several factors limit the participation of Maroons (descendants of escaped slaves who fled to the interior to avoid recapture) and Amerindians in the political process. (references)

Trade

Venezuela

These are usually applied to avoid domestic shortages. (references)

Costa Rica

Consequently, great care must be taken to avoid errors and infractions. (references)

Lebanon

Strict bank regulation has helped Lebanon avoid the emerging markets crisis. (references)

Travel

Honduras

Take care to use sunscreen and avoid dehydration. (references)

Spain

Catching a cab at a taxi stand should avoid this hazard. (references)

Indonesia

Avoid buying bottled water from street vendors if possible. (references)

Women

Russia

Employers also try to avoid the requirement of 3-year paid maternity leave for childcare. (references)

Mauritius

While a magistrate can order a spouse to pay child support, some spouses have stopped working in order to avoid payment. (references)

Lithuania

Few such complaints are filed, because women prefer to avoid publicity and are not confident that the courts will punish their assailants. (references)

Worker Rights

Uzbekistan

Some factories apparently have reduced work hours in order to avoid layoffs. (references)

Russia

At times the recruiter demands part or all of the worker's wages to avoid deportation. (references)

Uganda

Many companies employ workers as "casual laborers" or "contract workers" in order to avoid providing benefits. (references)

Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Expressions using "avoid": avoid doing smth. ♦ avoid each other ♦ avoid giving publicity ♦ avoid smb. ♦ carrier sense multiple access with collision avoid ♦ confess and avoid ♦ CSMA with collision avoid ♦ declare avoid ♦ duck to avoid the blow ♦ in order to avoid ♦ things Hackers Detest and Avoid. Additional references.

Beginning with "avoid": avoid-like-the-plague.

Afrikaans

vermy (elude, evade). (various references)

Albanian

anuloj (abate, abrogate, annul, call off, cancel, defeat, disaffirm, disannul, negate, nullify, overrule, quash, repeal, rescind, retract, revoke, set aside, void, withdraw), zhvlerësoj (depreciate, devaluate, devalue, discredit, invalidate), shmang (avert, bypass, deflect, elude, evade, fend off, help, obviate, shun, ward off), shfuqizioj, mënjanoj (avert, deflect, depart, eliminate, elude, leave out, move aside, remove, save, shunt, stave off, store, store up, suspend, thrift, translocate, turn aside, uncurtain, ward off), largoj (avert, brush away, brush off, call off, cast out, despatch, dislodge, dismiss, dispatch, dispel, divert, eliminate, estrange, freeze out, keep away, keep off, lead off, lift out, pack off, push aside, push away, push off, put off, relegate, remove, seclude, stave off, take away, turn, wean, whiffle). (various references)

Arabic 

‏تفادى (avert, dodge, duck, flee, obviate, outflank, parry, preclude, prepossess), ‏تجنب (avert, avoidance, bypass, ditch, duck, eschew, eschewal, evade, evasion, fence, fight shy of, flee, get round, give a wide berth, hide, miss, obviate, outrun, parry, put off, save, shirk, shuffle, shun, shy, sidestep, steer clear of, waive), ‏ألغى (abolish, abort, annul, call off, cancel, deactivate, dissolve, do away with, eliminate, lift, negate, nullify, obliterate, override, overrule, quash, repeal, rescind, reverse, revoke, rule out, scratch, scrub, set aside, spike, stop, undo, vacate), ‏أبطل (abolish, abrogate, annihilate, annul, call off, cancel, circumvent, counteract, countermand, defeat, extinguish, frustrate, nullify, override, quash, repeal, rescind, reverse, revoke, rule out, stultify, supersede, undo, upset, vacate, vitiate, void). (various references)

Bulgarian 

страня от, касирам, въздържам се от (abstain from, eschew, forego, forgo, resist), отхвърлям (abnegate, cast away, cast down, challenge, decline, demur, deny, disallow, disclaim, dismiss, except, exclude, fling away, ignore, kiss off, negative, override, proscribe, rebuff, rebut, refuse, refute, renounce, repudiate, scout, set aside, throw back, throw down, throw off, throw out, toss away, toss over, vote down, wash out, wave aside), отменям (abate, abrogate, annul, cancel, countermand, disaffirm, extinguish, override, quash, raise, recall, remit, repeal, rescind, retract, reverse, revoke, scrub, supersede, undo, wash out, withdraw), отбягвам (dodge, elude, eschew, evade, fence, give a wide berth, put by, sheer, shrink back, shrink from, shun, sidestep, taboo), анулирам (abate, abrogate, annul, blank, countermand, disannul, invalidate, negate, nullify, quash, recall, repeal, rescind, revoke, unmake, write off). (various references)

Chinese 

躲 (get out of way, to go into hiding, to hide), 避免 (AVERT, Averted, Averting, Avoided, Avoiding), 迴避 (sidestep, skirt), 避 (escape, flee, leave, shun, to hide, to keep away, to leave). (various references)

Czech

zbavit (acquit, deliver, deprive, divest, release, relieve, rid), vyvarovat se, vyhnout se èemu, vyhýbat se (eschew, evade, keep away, shun, stand aloof, stay off). (various references)

Danish

undvige (elude, evade), undgå (elude, evade). (various references)

Dutch

uit de weg gaan (elude, evade). (various references)

Esperanto

eviti (evade). (various references)

Faeroese

sleppa frá (elude, evade). (various references)

Farsi 

موقوف کردن (Discontinue, Dock, Overthrow, Subvert, Suppress), طفره رفتن از (Balk), الغاء کردن , احترازکردن , اجتناب کردن (Eschew), دوری کردن از (Elude). (various references)

Finnish

välttää (elude, escape, evade, keep away from). (various references)

French

éviter (avert). (various references)

German

vermeiden (avert, beware, elude, evade, keep off, obviate, to avoid, to beware), meiden (elude, eschew, evade, flee, fly, shun, to avoid, to eschew, to shun), ausweichen (cower away, dodge, elude, elusiveness, equivocate, evade, evasion, fudge, get out of the way, make way, runaround, sheer away, shiftiness, shirk, shun, side step, sidestep, swerve, to elude, to evade, to shun, to side step, to swerve). (various references)

Greek 

αποφεύγω (dodge, eschew, evade, forbear, obviate, shirk, shun, sidestep, stall, stay clear, steer clear of). (various references)

Hebrew 

לחמוק (evade, slink, slip, sneak), ל�"מ� ע (abstain, eschew, refrain, shun, steer clear of). (various references)

Hungarian

megsemmisít (abjure, abolish, abrogate, annihilate, annul, cancel, efface, elide, nullify, remit, repeal, to annihilate, to annul, to cancel, to destroy, to disfigure, to eliminate, to eradicate, to exterminate, to give sy a trouncing, to nullify, to overwhelm, to put down, to put to rout, to repeal, to reverse, to rout, to set aside, to smite hip and thigh), elkerül (escape, evade, shun, to avoid, to escape, to eschew, to evade, to keep off, to obviate, to shun). (various references)

Indonesian

menghindari (avert, shun), menggelekkan, menangkal (ward off (a catastrophe)), gelicik (evade). (various references)

Irish

teith ó (evade), seachain (evade). (various references)

Italian

evitare (avert, avoid each other, avoidance, balk, decline, elude, escape, evade, flee, help, prevent, shirk, shun, stave off, to avoid). (various references)

Japanese Kanji 

回避 (evasion). (various references)

Japanese Katakana 

かいひ (evasion, membership fee, opening the door). (various references)

Korean 

기�"�하십시�" (Evade). (various references)

Malay

menghindari (elude, evade), hindari (elude, evade). (various references)

Manx

shaghney (avert, circumvent, circumvention, defer, deferment, delay, dodge, elude, escape, eschew, evade, obviate, postponement, prevent, renounce, renunciation, repudiate, shirk, shirking, shun, turn away, varnish), scapail (abscond, absconding, abscondment, elude, escape). (various references)

Maya

hech (to avoid). (various references)

Norwegian

unngå (escape, evade). (various references)

Papiamen

evitá (elude, evade). (various references)

Pig Latin

avoiday.(various references)

Polish

unikać (elude, evade). (various references)

Portuguese

evitar (abstain, avert, bypass, elude, eschew, evade, fence, flee, foil, forbear, funk, give a cold shoulder to, keep off, parry, preclude, prevent, refrain, shirk, shun, stave off, to avoid, turn a cold shoulder to), prevenir (avert, caution, evade, forearm, forewarn, inform, obviate, prevent, previse, warn). (various references)

Portuguese Brazilian

evitar (to avoid). (various references)

Romanian

evita (balk, baulk, berth, by pass, clear, dodge, elide, elude, escape, eschew, evade, finesse, fly, forbear, keep from, Parry, pass off, put off, save, shun, spare). (various references)

Romansch

evitar (to avoid). (various references)

Russian 

избегать (dodge, elude, escaped, eschew, evade, guard against, obviate, put by, shrink, shun, shunned, shunning, steer clear of). (various references)

Scottish

seachainn (dispense with, shun). (various references)

Serbo-Croatian

zabušiti (get out, shirk), zabušavati (malinger, shirk, skulk), ukinuće (abrogation, cancellation, revocation), poništenje (abolishment, annulment, avoidance, cancellation, cassation, countermand, defeasance, dissolution, invalidation, nullification, recession, repeal, rescission, vitiation), izbegavati (elude, give a wide berth, shun, steer, steer clear of), izbegavanje (avoidance, duck out, elusion, evasion), izbeći (dodge, escape, eschew, evade, flinch). (various references)

Spanish

evitar (avert, balk, baulk, bypass, circumvent, elude, escape, eschew, evade, exclude, guard against, keep away, obviate, preclude, prevent, provide, save, shirk, shut out, sidestep, spare, stave off, ward off), eludir (blink, elude, evade, get by, Miss, put by, shirk, slip). (various references)

Swazi

kú-gega (to avoid). (various references)

Swedish

undvika (avoided, dodge, eschew, evade, fight shy of, flank, flee, fudge, get out of, keep away from, keep off), undfly (elude, escape, eschew, evade, flee from, outrun). (various references)

Tagalog

iwásan (elude, evade). (various references)

Thai

หลีกเลี่ยง (sidestep). (various references)

Turkish

uzak durmak (avoid smb., dissociate oneself from, give a wide berth to, keep aloof, keep away, keep away from, keep off, keep one's distance, keep out, keep out of, short circuit, shrink away, shun, stand aloof, stand apart, stand off, stay away from), savuşturmak (beat off, evade, fend off, get rid of, Parry, turn off, ward off), sakınmak (abstain, be careful not to, be cautious, be wary of, be wary of doing smth., beg, beware, cradle, eschew, evade, flee from, flinch, forbear, hang back, keep clear of, refrain, shuffle, shun, shy, steer clear of, Stow), korunmak (be protected, defend oneself, guard, shelter), kaçınmak (abstain, balk, baulk, beg, beware, chicken out, dodge, elude, eschew, evade, flee, flee from, flinch, forbear, funk, get out of, keep clear of, refrain, refuse, shirk, short circuit, shun, sidestep, spare, stand aloof, stand apart, stand aside, steer clear of, Stow), iptal etmek (abolish, abort, abrogate, annihilate, annul, blank out, call off, cancel, countermand, declare off, disaffirm, disallow, invalidate, irritate, negate, nullify, overrule, quash, remit, repeal, rescind, reverse, revoke, scrub, set aside, setaside, stultify, suspend, vacate, void, wash out, write off), önlemek (arrest, avert, baffle, bank, circumvent, counterwork, estop, face up to, foil, foreclose, forestall, frustrate, get under control, head off, intercept, jugulate, keep back, obviate, occlude, preclude, prevent, prevent from, prohibit, repress, stay, suppress, thwart, ward, ward off). (various references)

Turkmen 

яadyrgamak (shun), gaзgakmak (be lost, fall), gaзalaklamak, gaзa durmak (keep at a distance). (various references)

Ukrainian

ухилятися (back out, balk, blench, crawfish, depart, digress, dodge, elude, equivocate, eschew, evade, flunk, jink, obviate, prevaricate, shirk, shuffle, sidestep, squirm, weasel, weave, wriggle), уникати (abscond, elude, eschew, flee, forbear, obviate, shun, steer clear, waive), спорожнювати (decant), відміняти (abate, abolish, abrogate, bar, defeat, negative, nullify, rescind, revoke, vacate), звільняти (absolve, acquit, affranchise, bag, cashier, clear, defecate, disband, disencumber, disengage, dismiss, ease, eject, emancipate, enfranchise, exempt, exonerate, free, let out, loose, manumit, purify, release, remit, rescue, rid, set free, supersede, unfetter, unshackle, untie, vacate), анулювати (abate, abrogate, annul, bar, cancel, defeat, disannul, elide, null, nullify, overrule, quash, repeal, rescind, undo, wash out, withdraw). (various references)

Welsh

arbed (save, spare), ymogel (beware), osgoi (evade, shirk, swerve), golaith (evade), gochel (avert, beware, shun). (various references)

alienati, alienatus, aversantium, aversatur, aversatus, averseris, aversor, caro, cautos, cave, caveam, caveant, cavebit, cavendum, caveo, caverant, cavere, cavet, cavete, contemnam, contemnant, contemnas, contemnat, contemnatis, contemnendae, contemnendum, contemnens, contemnent, contemnentes, contemnenti, contemnere, contemnet, contemni, contemnis, contemnit, contemnitis, contemnunt, contempserint, contempseris, contempseritis, contempserunt, contempsi, contempsisset, contempsisti, contempsistis, contempsit, contempta, contempto, contemptorum, contemptos, contemptu, contemptum, contemptus, devita, devitabit, devitans, devitantes, devitaremque, effugere, effugerent, effugeret, effugerunt, effugi, effugiant, effugiat, effugiemus, effugient, effugies, effugiet, effugisti, effugit, effugiunt, evadat, evadens, evadere, evaderent, evadit, evaserat, evaserit, evaserunt, evasi, evasione, evasissemus, evasit, fuge, fugerant, fugerat, fugeratque, fugere, fugerem, fugerent, fugeret, fugerimus, fugerint, fugerit, fugeritque, fugerunt, fugeruntque, fugi, fugiam, fugiamus, fugiant, fugias, fugiat, fugiebam, fugiebant, fugiebas, fugiebat, fugiemus, fugiendum, fugiens, fugient, fugientem, fugientes, fugientibus, fugientibusque, fugientis, fugientium, fugies, fugiet, fugietis, fugio, fugisse, fugissent, fugisset, fugisti, fugistis, fugit, fugite, fugitque, fugiunt, ineffugibilem, parco, vita, vitare, vitas, vitem. (various references)

esvuider. (various references)

avoider. (various references)

eskiuer. (various references)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Derivations

Words beginning with "avoid": avoidable, avoidably, avoidance, avoidances, avoided, avoider, avoiders, avoiding, avoids. (additional references)

Words containing "avoid": unavoidable, unavoidably. (additional references)

Misspellings

"Avoid" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: abood, advoid, aeolid, agood, Ajohida, Alvio, Amodio, anoid, aoi, apoid, Avadi, avait, aveed, avied, avio, avioc, aviod, avion, avios, aviot, avit, avix, avo, avod, avoe, avoi, avoir, avond, avorid, Avovi, avoyde, avud, avuid, axoid, evoid, Javadi, navaid, Savoldi, vaio. (additional references)

Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits.