swerve (swɜːv
)
Definitions
verb
- to turn or cause to turn aside, usually sharply or suddenly, from a course
- (tr) to avoid (a person or event)
noun
- the act, instance, or degree of swerving
Alternative Forms
ˈswervable adjective ˈswerver nounWord Origin
Old English sweorfan to scour; related to Old High German swerban to wipe off, Gothic afswairban to wipe off, Old Norse sverfa to fileTranslations
- British English:
swerve
If a vehicle or other moving thing swerves, it suddenly changes direction, often in order to avoid hitting something.Drivers coming in the opposite direction swerved to avoid the crashed car. Her car swerved off the road.swɜːv VERB Drivers coming in the opposite direction swerved to avoid the crashed car. Her car swerved off the road.
- Spanish: virar bruscamente v
- French:
faire une embardée
v
- German:
ausweichen
v
- Chinese: 突然转向 v
- Arabic: يَنْحَرِفُ v
- Portuguese: desviar v
- Russian: отклоняться v
- Croatian: krivudati v
- Czech: prudce (se) vyhnout v prudce (se) vyhýbat
- Danish: svinge v
- Dutch: zwerven v
- Finnish: kaartaa v
- Greek: λοξοδρομώ v
- Italian: sbandare v
- Japanese: 急にそれる v
- Korean: 빗나가다 v
- Norwegian: skrense v
- Polish: zboczyć v zbaczać
- Brazilian Portuguese: desviar v
- European Spanish: virar bruscamente v
- Swedish: svänga åt sidan v
- Thai: หักเลี้ยว v
- Turkish: direksiyonu kırmak v
- Vietnamese: đi chệch v
Usage examples
`Well, there was a table by me and they were talking about the best way to get an early swerve.
, THE SCHEME FOR FULL EMPLOYMENT (2003)This emotional bond could make Jimbo come to value a life-preserving collective swerve even over his own potential victory.
New Scientist (1998)Motorists are forced to swerve to the other side of the road to avoid the holes.
SA Star (2005)The "spin" comes from baseball, where a pitcher makes a ball swerve to get an advantage.
Sun, News of the World (2002)The two French-built missiles appeared to swerve past her, through the chaff cloud, still looking ahead for a target.
, ONE HUNDRED DAYS (2003)