Library / English Dictionary

DEFLECT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Impede the movement of (an opponent or a ball)

Example:

block an attack

Synonyms:

block; deflect; parry

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Hypernyms (to "deflect" is one way to...):

fence (fight with fencing swords)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

The fighter managed to deflect his opponent

Sense 2

Meaning:

Draw someone's attention away from something

Example:

He deflected his competitors

Synonyms:

deflect; distract

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Hypernyms (to "deflect" is one way to...):

confuse; disconcert; flurry; put off (cause to feel embarrassment)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sense 3

Meaning:

Turn aside and away from an initial or intended course

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "deflect" is one way to...):

turn (change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Derivation:

deflection (a turning aside (of your course or attention or concern))

deflective (capable of changing the direction (of a light or sound wave))

deflector (a device intended to turn aside the flow of something (water or air or smoke etc))

deflexion (a turning aside (of your course or attention or concern))

Sense 4

Meaning:

Turn from a straight course, fixed direction, or line of interest

Synonyms:

bend; deflect; turn away

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "deflect" is one way to...):

turn (change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

deflection (a turning aside (of your course or attention or concern))

deflector (a device intended to turn aside the flow of something (water or air or smoke etc))

deflexion (a turning aside (of your course or attention or concern))

Sense 5

Meaning:

Prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening

Example:

avert a strike

Synonyms:

avert; avoid; debar; deflect; fend off; forefend; forfend; head off; obviate; stave off; ward off

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "deflect" is one way to...):

forbid; foreclose; forestall; preclude; prevent (keep from happening or arising; make impossible)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Credits

 Context examples: 

Here on Earth, we're largely protected from the damaging effects of the solar wind: Because the solar wind is magnetized, Earth's natural magnetic field deflects the solar wind particles around our planet so that only a small fraction of them reach our planet's atmosphere.

(NASA Mission Reveals Origins of Moon's 'Sunburn', NASA)