ward off

verb

1. (tr, adverb) to turn aside or repel; avert

Idioms and Phrases

Turn aside, parry, as in He tried to ward off her blows . [Second half of 1500s]

Try to prevent, avert, as in She took vitamin C to ward off a cold . [Mid-1700s]

Example Sentences

At best, he might just cobble together a deal and ward off immediate defeat in the Assembly.

From BBC

Last year, a Japanese town blocked a famous roadside view of Mount Fuji to ward off tourists seeking to take pictures and selfies.

From BBC

Friends of the Long Beach Public Library, another nonprofit organization that provides support to the regional library, was created to ward off book censorship threats in 1963.

From Los Angeles Times

Part of rebirth is the bittersweet mastery of warding off misaligned energy.

From Los Angeles Times

When a spider needs to protect itself from a predator, it rubs its hairs to ward off the danger.

From Los Angeles Times