Avert vs Abstain - What's the difference?
avert | abstain |
To turn aside or away.
To ward off, or prevent, the occurrence or effects of.
* Milton
* Prior
(archaic) To turn away.
* Thomson
(archaic) To turn away.
* Francis Bacon
(transitive, reflexive, obsolete) Keep or withhold oneself.
Refrain from (something); hold one's self aloof; to forbear or keep from doing, especially an indulgence of the passions or appetites.
* Who abstains from meat that is not gaunt? - Shakespeare, Richard II, II-i
(obsolete) Fast.
Deliberately refrain from casting one's vote at a meeting where one is present.
* Not a few abstained from voting. -
(obsolete) Hinder; keep back; withhold.
* Whether he abstain men from marying [sic]. -
In lang=en terms the difference between avert and abstain
is that avert is to ward off, or prevent, the occurrence or effects of while abstain is deliberately refrain from casting one's vote at a meeting where one is present .As verbs the difference between avert and abstain
is that avert is to turn aside or away while abstain is (transitive|reflexive|obsolete) keep or withhold oneself .avert
English
Verb
(en verb)- To avert the eyes from an object.
- How can the danger be averted ?
- To avert his ire.
- Till ardent prayer averts the public woe.
- Cold and averting from our neighbour's good.
- When atheists and profane persons do hear of so many discordant and contrary opinions in religion, it doth avert them from the church.
Derived terms
* averter * avertressSynonyms
* (to prevent) * See alsoReferences
* "avert" at OneLook® Dictionary Search .