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Deflect

verb

Definitions

Verb
  1. 1
    To make (something) deviate from its original path or position. transitive
  2. 2
    impede the movement of (an opponent or a ball) wordnet
  3. 3
    To touch the ball, often unwittingly, after a shot or a sharp pass, thereby making it unpredictable for the other players. transitive

    "The defender deflected the cross into his own net."

  4. 4
    draw someone's attention away from something wordnet
  5. 5
    To deviate from an original path or position. intransitive
Show 6 more definitions
  1. 6
    turn aside and away from an initial or intended course wordnet
  2. 7
    To avoid addressing (questions, criticism, etc.). figuratively, transitive

    "The Prime Minister deflected some increasingly pointed questions by claiming he had an appointment."

  3. 8
    turn from a straight course, fixed direction, or line of interest wordnet
  4. 9
    To divert (attention, etc.). figuratively, transitive

    "Certainly there was much in the relationship itself that, with so much energy deflected into logistic maneuvering was never […] "worked out.""

  5. 10
    prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening; to protect from or to keep away anything undesirable; to ward off wordnet
  6. 11
    To redirect culpability to avoid it.

Etymology

From Latin deflecto, from de- (“away”) + flecto (“to bend”).

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