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.

---

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)

---

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

Clare suspected that even a human car would have swerved to avoid taking such a handsome life.

From Literature

The pickup truck driver tried to edge off to the side of the road, but Woods swerved and clipped the back end of the trailer.

From The Wall Street Journal

The driver of the pickup truck then tried to edge off to the side of the road, Budensiek said, and Woods swerved to avoid a collision.

From The Wall Street Journal

The car swerved out of the ruts and came to a halt.

From Literature

Vehicles swerved around each other and around the streetcars that ran down the center of the road.

From Literature

Related Words

• deflect
• lurch
• skid
• stray
• veer