deter
[ dih-tur ]
/ dɪˈtɜr /
Save This Word!
verb (used with object), de·terred, de·ter·ring.
to discourage or restrain from acting or proceeding: The large dog deterred trespassers.
to prevent; check; arrest: timber treated with creosote to deter rot.
to repel: Strongly scented marigolds planted among the melons are supposed to deter beetles.
QUIZZES
QUIZ YOURSELF ON "WAS" VS. "WERE"!
Were you ready for a quiz on this topic? Well, here it is! See how well you can differentiate between the uses of "was" vs. "were" in this quiz.
Question 1 of 7
“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.
Meet Grammar Coach
Improve Your Writing
Origin of deter
First recorded in 1570–80; from Latin dēterrēre “to discourage, put off, frighten,” equivalent to dē-, prefix and preposition + terrēre “to frighten, scare”; see de-
OTHER WORDS FROM deter
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for deter
British Dictionary definitions for deter
deter
/ (dɪˈtɜː) /
verb -ters, -terring or -terred
(tr) to discourage (from acting) or prevent (from occurring), usually by instilling fear, doubt, or anxiety
Derived forms of deter
determent, nounWord Origin for deter
C16: from Latin dēterrēre, from de- + terrēre to frighten
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012