avoid
- avoid
avoid (
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. void) (
adj.)). Originally a law term; modern sense of "
have nothing to do with" also was in Middle English and corresponds to
O.Fr. eviter with which it was perhaps confused. Meaning "
escape, evade" first attested 1520s. Related:
Avoided;
avoiding.
Etymology dictionary.
2014.
:
Look at other dictionaries:
avoid — vt [modification of Old French esvuider to destroy, literally, to empty, from es out + vuider to empty] 1: to make void or undo: annul the trustee may avoid any transfer of interest of the debtor in property U.S. Code 2: to respond to (an… … Law dictionary
Avoid — A*void , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Avoided}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Avoiding}.] [OF. esvuidier, es (L. ex) + vuidier, voidier, to empty. See {Void}, a.] 1. To empty. [Obs.] Wyclif. [1913 Webster] 2. To emit or throw out; to void; as, to avoid excretions.… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
avoid — a‧void [əˈvɔɪd] verb [transitive] TAX LAW if you avoid tax, you manage to not pay it legally, for example by the way that you enter profits or losses into your accounts: • Investing in this way allows savers to avoid tax upon withdrawal. compare… … Financial and business terms
avoid — avoid; avoid·a·ble; un·avoid·abil·i·ty; avoid·ant; avoid·ance; avoid·a·bly; un·avoid·able·ness; … English syllables
avoid — [ə void′] vt. [ME avoiden < Anglo Fr avoider < OFr esvuidier, to empty < es (< L ex ), out + vuidier: see VOID] 1. to make void; annul, invalidate, or quash (a plea, etc. in law) 2. to keep away from; evade; shun [to avoid crowds] 3.… … English World dictionary
avoid — avoid, avert, evade Avoid and evade overlap in meaning, but evade has a stronger sense of guile or trickery in escaping from an obligation (such as paying income tax). Avert means ‘to turn aside’ (which is its literal meaning in averting one s… … Modern English usage
Avoid — A*void , v. i. 1. To retire; to withdraw. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] David avoided out of his presence. 1 Sam. xviii. 11. [1913 Webster] 2. (Law) To become void or vacant. [Obs.] Ayliffe. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
avoid — *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
avoid — [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
avoid — ► 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
