detour

American  

[dee-toor, dih-toor] / ˈdi tʊər, dɪˈtʊər /

noun

1. a roundabout or circuitous way or course, especially one used temporarily when the main route is closed.

2. an indirect or roundabout procedure, path, etc.

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verb (used without object)

1. to make a detour; go by way of a detour.

verb (used with object)

1. to cause to make a detour.

2. to make a detour around.

   We detoured Birmingham.

detour British  

/ ˈdiːtʊə /

noun

1. a deviation from a direct, usually shorter route or course of action

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verb

1. to deviate or cause to deviate from a direct route or course of action

Etymology

Origin of detour

1730–40 < French détour, Old French destor, derivative of destorner to turn aside, equivalent to des- de- + torner to turn

Example Sentences

A single definition sends her into a spiral over such terms as “average coral” and “sea pink,” while elsewhere imaginative riffs and historical detours pull the reader well beyond the book’s central thread.

From The Wall Street Journal

Under his watch, he wrote, “no detours or even bathroom breaks are allowed.”

From Los Angeles Times

Happily, that becomes clear as this conversation morphs into a four-hour epic, rich with unexpectedly heartfelt and humorous detours.

From BBC

Threatened arteries force shippers into lengthy, costly detours that ultimately hit consumers.

From The Wall Street Journal

With most of the square blocked, pedestrians have to take long detours, and those who had planned for other events in the area are uncertain of what happens now.

From BBC

Related Words

• deviation
• diversion