avoid

verb [T]

/əˈvɔɪd/

Definition

1. Definition

2. Practise

B1 to stay away from someone or something: I try to avoid supermarkets on Saturdays - they're always so busy. I'm anxious to avoid the motorway at rush hour. Do you think Tim's avoiding me? I haven't seen him all day.Moving in order to avoid contactDigressing and being indirect or evasiveAvoiding actionLaziness and lazy peoplePreventing and impedingLimiting and restricting B2 to prevent something from happening or to not allow yourself to do something: [+ -ing verb] I try to avoid going shopping on Saturdays. The report studiously avoided any mention of the controversial plan. The plane narrowly avoided disaster when one of the engines cut out on take-off. I left the pub to avoid a fight (= prevent a fight from happening). Unnecessary paperwork should be avoided (= prevented) at all costs.Moving in order to avoid contactDigressing and being indirect or evasiveAvoiding actionLaziness and lazy peoplePreventing and impedingLimiting and restricting

(Definition of avoid verb from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)