swerve
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
noun
verb
-
to turn or cause to turn aside, usually sharply or suddenly, from a course
-
(tr) to avoid (a person or event)
noun
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He was seen earlier veering into the grass verge of the eastbound carriageway between junctions 6 and 5, as well as swerving between lanes.
From BBC
They swerved around the cloud of dirt and aimed instead for the miller and his sons.
From Literature
A decade ago, Newsom and Harris swerved to keep their careers from colliding.
From Los Angeles Times
The road was too narrow to swerve, and we heard a nasty clunk.
From BBC
Some parts swerved in wide arches where they couldn’t see another car coming around the corner.
From Literature
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
