ward off

British  

verb

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

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ward off Idioms  

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

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

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Example Sentences

Would measures to ward off California’s predators increase safety?

From Los Angeles Times

"Your body needs these cytokines to ward off viruses. It's essential to immune response but can become toxic in large amounts," Wu said.

From Science Daily

Shoe companies are now developing smart shoes that record information about runners—data that could one day be used to help personalize footwear and ward off injuries.

From The Wall Street Journal

Halfway through the movie, to ward off full-scale war with the Philistines, David volunteers to engage in single combat with the enemy’s champion: an oversize fellow named Goliath.

From The Wall Street Journal

He stayed in his truck outside the affordable senior complex, trying to keep an eye on things: warding off looters, putting out ember flare-ups, responding to flooding when the building’s sprinklers finally burst back on.

From Los Angeles Times