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Divert vs Veer - What's the difference?

divert | veer |

In lang=en terms the difference between divert and veer

is that divert is to entertain or amuse (by diverting the attention) while veer is to turn.

As verbs the difference between divert and veer

is that divert is to turn aside from a course while veer is (obsolete|nautical) to let out (a sail-line), to allow (a sheet) to run out or veer can be to change direction or course suddenly; to swerve.

As a noun veer is

a turn or swerve; an instance of veering.

divert

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • To turn aside from a course.
  • The workers diverted the stream away from the road.
  • * Milton
  • that crude apple that diverted Eve
  • To distract.
  • Don't let him divert your attention; keep your eye on the ball.
  • To entertain or amuse (by diverting the attention)
  • * C. J. Smith
  • We are amused by a tale, diverted by a comedy.
  • (obsolete) To turn aside; to digress.
  • I diverted to see one of the prince's palaces. — Evelyn.

    Synonyms

    * (to lead away from a course) offlead

    veer

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) .

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (obsolete, nautical) To let out (a sail-line), to allow (a sheet) to run out.
  • *1596 , (Edmund Spenser), The Faerie Queene , volume 12:
  • *:As when a skilfull Marriner doth reed / A storme approching, that doth perill threat, / He will not bide the daunger of such dread, / But strikes his sayles, and vereth his mainsheat, / And lends vnto it leaue the emptie ayre to beat.
  • Etymology 2

    From (etyl) virer.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A turn or swerve; an instance of veering.
  • Verb

    (en verb)
  • To change direction or course suddenly; to swerve.
  • The car slid on the ice and veered out of control.
  • * (rfdate), Dryden:
  • And as he leads, the following navy veers .
  • * (rfdate), Burke:
  • An ordinary community which is hostile or friendly as passion or as interest may veer about.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2012, date=November 7, author=Matt Bai, title=Winning a Second Term, Obama Will Confront Familiar Headwinds, work=New York Times citation
  • , passage=At this time in 2008, even as the global economy veered toward collapse, optimism about Washington ran surprisingly high.}}
  • (of the wind) To shift in a clockwise direction (if in the Northern Hemisphere, or in a counterclockwise direction if in the Southern Hemisphere).Bowditch 2002
  • (intransitive, nautical, of the wind) To shift aft.
  • (nautical) To change direction into the wind; to ship.
  • To turn.
  • Antonyms
    * back * haul forward

    References

    Anagrams

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