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Definition of 'elude'

Word Frequency

elude

(ɪlud )

Word forms: eludes, eluding, eluded

1. transitive verb [no passive]

If something that you want eludes you, you fail to obtain it.

Sleep eluded her.

2. transitive verb

If you elude someone or something, you avoid them or escape from them.

He eluded the police for 13 years.

3. transitive verb [no passive]

If a fact or idea eludes you, you do not succeed in understanding it, realizing it, or remembering it.

The appropriate word eluded him.

Synonyms: escape, baffle, frustrate, puzzle More Synonyms of elude

More Synonyms of elude

COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers

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Word Frequency

elude in American English

(iˈlud ; ɪˈlud )

verb transitiveWord forms: eˈluded or eˈluding

1.

to avoid or escape from by quickness, cunning, etc.; evade

2.

to escape detection, notice, or understanding by

his name eludes me

SIMILAR WORDS: esˈcape

Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.

Word origin

L eludere, to finish play, parry a blow, frustrate < e-, out + ludere, to play: see ludicrous

Word Frequency

elude in American English

(ɪˈluːd)

transitive verbWord forms: eluded, eluding

1.

to avoid or escape by speed, cleverness, trickery, etc.; evade

to elude capture

2.

to escape the understanding, perception, or appreciation of

The answer eludes me

Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019 by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

Derived forms

eluder

noun

Word origin

[1530–40; ‹ L ēlūdere to deceive, evade, equiv. to ē- e- + lūdere to play, deceive]

Word Frequency

elude in British English

(ɪˈluːd )

verb (transitive)

1.

to escape or avoid ( capture, one's pursuers, etc), esp by cunning

2.

to avoid fulfilment of (a responsibility, obligation, etc); evade

3.

to escape discovery, or understanding by; baffle

the solution eluded her

▶ USAGE Elude is sometimes wrongly used where allude is meant: he was alluding (not eluding) to his previous visit to the city

Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers

Derived forms

eluder (eˈluder)

noun

elusion (ɪˈluːʒən )

noun

Word origin

C16: from Latin ēlūdere to deceive, from lūdere to play

Examples of 'elude' in a sentence
elude

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content. Read more…

Surely this was the foot of the unique woman who had so long eluded him.The parrot had still eluded capture on the morning of her wedding.Yet still one part eludes her.The definitive explanation still eludes us.So happiness is good for you - yet it still eludes all too many of us.But a second Derby still eluded him.Yet he still eluded capture. Live specimens still elude researchers.He eluded capture many times. Fifth place was the best on offer in Korea and victories still elude the Finn.

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elude

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In other languages
elude

British English: elude VERB

If something that you want eludes you, you fail to obtain it.

Sleep eluded her.

American English: elude
Brazilian Portuguese: escapar de
Chinese: 不为…所获得
European Spanish: eludir
French: échapper à
German: sich entziehen
Italian: non venire asonno
Japanese: すり抜ける
Korean: 빠져나가다
European Portuguese: escapar de
Spanish: eludir

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Nearby words of
elude

Source

Definition of elude from the Collins English Dictionary

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Quick word challenge

Quiz Review

Question: 1

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Score: 0 / 5

sun or son?

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sun

son

The was high in the sky.

farther or father?

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My sisters moved even farther away from home. My sisters moved even father away from home.

aisle or isle?

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I found myself in the frozen food aisle. I found myself in the frozen food isle.

wear or where?

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Where

Wear

will it all end?

lead or led?

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led

lead

He the country between 1949 and 1984.

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Scrabble score
for 'elude':
6

Quick word challenge

Quiz Review

Question: 1

-

Score: 0 / 5

pole or poll?

Which version is correct?

The truck crashed into a telegraph pole. The truck crashed into a telegraph poll.

bare or bear?

Which version is correct?

His fridge was bare apart from a tomato. His fridge was bear apart from a tomato.

miner or minor?

Drag the correct answer into the box.

miner

minor

I watched as each was brought to safety.

their or they're?

Drag the correct answer into the box.

they're

their

Some people eat when feeling low.

dear or deer?

Which version is correct?

Mrs Cavendish is a dear friend of mine. Mrs Cavendish is a deer friend of mine.

Your score:

New collocations added to dictionary

Collocations are words that are often used together and are brilliant at providing natural sounding language for your speech and writing. February 13, 2020 Read more

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