v.; also 6 advert. [a. OF. avert-ir:—late L. āvertēre, for cl. L. āvertĕre to turn away or aside, f. ā- = ab- from + vertĕre to turn. OF. avertir represented both L. āvertĕre and advertĕre, whence avert in ME. also = ADVERT, which see for the eventual differentiation of the forms and senses.]
1. trans. To turn away: † a. a thing. Obs.
a. 1400. Cov. Myst., 88. Mayde most mercyfulle … A verte of[f] the anguysche that Adam began.
b. a person from a place, thing, or course of action; to draw away, withdraw. arch.
c. 1555. Harpsfield, Divorce Hen. VIII. (1878), 66. To averte and deflect him from this enterprise.
1674. trans. Scheffer’s Lapland, xxvi. 122. The Priests avert them from so doing.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., II. 239. Mighty Cæsar, whose victorious Arms … Avert unwarlike Indians from his Rome.
1862. Trollope, Orley F., xv. How fatal it might be to avert her father from the cause while the trial was still pending.
† c. fig. To turn away in mind or inclination; to alienate, estrange. Obs. or arch.
1532. More, Confut. Tindale, Wks. 607/2. Saynte Peter was once from God auerted, and sinnefully turned away.
1594. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., IV. xii. § 6. For fear of averting them from the Christian faith.
1633. Primer Virg. Mary, 258. Pilate … said to them, you haue presented vnto me this man, as auerting the people.
1877. [see AVERTED].
† 2. refl. To turn oneself away. Obs.
1541. Barnes, Wks. (1573), 360/1. Hee that doth beleeue, and auerte hym selfe from hys sinnes.
3. intr. (by omission of refl. pron.) To turn away. arch. or Obs.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 73/1. Yf ye auert and torne fro me.
1607. Topsell, Serpents, 754. To hate and avert from that which is evill.
1805. Southey, Madoc in Azt., XII. And from that hideous man Averting, to Ocellopan he turn’d.
4. trans. To turn away (the face, eyes, thoughts).
1578. Ps. li. in Sc. Poems 16th C., II. 115. Fra my sinnes advert thy face.
1605. Shaks., Lear, I. i. 214. Therefore beseech you T’ auert your liking a more worthier way.
1667. Milton, P. L., XII. 108. Till God at last … withdraw His presence … and avert His holy Eyes.
1837. Whewell, Hist. Induct. Sci. (1857), I. 195. The thoughts were thus intentionally averted from those ideas.
5. To turn away anything about to befall, esp. things threatened or feared; to prevent the incidence or occurrence of; to ward off.
1612. Warner, Alb. Eng., I. v. 17. And so auert our ire.
1686. Dryden, Hind. & P., III. 872. Avert it Heaven! nor let that plague be sent.
1791. Cowper, Iliad, VI. 20. None interposed To avert his woeful doom.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 201. Any expedient which might avert the danger.
† 6. To oppose; to view with aversion. Obs.
1635. Person, Varieties, II. iv. 62–3. Our moderne Astronomers, now averting this Aristotelian opinion, have found out some Comets place to bee above the Moone.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., I. iii. 8. Averting the errors of Reason.
1667. Decay Chr. Piety, vi. § 9. 251. The nature of mankind doth certainly avert both killing and being kill’d.
¶ catachr. for EVERT and REVERT.
1533. Bellenden, Livy (1822), 334. His hous and biggingis … suld be avertit and cassin doun to the ground.
1540. Act 32 Hen. VIII., xxix. Landes … shall … be descendable, remaine, auert, come, and be inheritable.
