swerve

American  

[swurv] / swɜrv /

verb (used without object)

swerved, swerving

1. to turn aside abruptly in movement or direction; deviate suddenly from the straight or direct course.

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verb (used with object)

swerved, swerving

1. to cause to turn aside.

   Nothing could swerve him.

noun

1. an act of swerving; turning aside.

swerve British  

/ swɜːv /

verb

1. to turn or cause to turn aside, usually sharply or suddenly, from a course

2. (tr) to avoid (a person or event)

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noun

1. the act, instance, or degree of swerving

Related Words

See deviate.

Other Word Forms

• swervable adjective
• swerver noun
• unswerved adjective
• unswerving adjective
• unswervingly adverb
• unswervingness noun

Etymology

Origin of swerve

1175–1225; Middle English swerven (v.); Old English sweorfan to rub, file; cognate with Dutch zwerven to rove, Old High German swerban, Old Norse sverfa to file, Gothic afswairban to wipe off

Example Sentences

Some parts swerved in wide arches where they couldn’t see another car coming around the corner.

From Literature

A car drives by with its headlamps hooded, swerving wildly, and I have to spring aside to avoid being hit.

From Literature

Asked how much time she spent in the Russian capital -- where her parents were -- she swerved the question and said she trained in Slovakia and Dubai.

From Barron's

Barcelona knew they needed to win to be confident of swerving the play-off round, but fell behind as early as the fourth minute.

From Barron's

The car behind us swerves and honks its horn in a long, angry blast as it whizzes by.

From Literature

Related Words

• deflect
• lurch
• skid
• stray
• veer