AVERTING

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does averting mean? 

• AVERTING (noun)
  The noun AVERTING has 2 senses:

1. the act of preventing something from occurring

2. the act of turning yourself (or your gaze) away

  Familiarity information: AVERTING used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• AVERTING (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The act of preventing something from occurring

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Context example:

averting danger was his responsibility

Hypernyms ("averting" is a kind of...):

bar; prevention (the act of preventing)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The act of turning yourself (or your gaze) away

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

aversion; averting

Context example:

averting her gaze meant that she was angry

Hypernyms ("averting" is a kind of...):

avoidance; dodging; shunning; turning away (deliberately avoiding; keeping away from or preventing from happening)

 Context examples 

You may well be amazed, returned Mrs. Weston, still averting her eyes, and talking on with eagerness, that Emma might have time to recover— You may well be amazed.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

He seemed determined to be answered; and Fanny, averting her face, said, with a firmer tone than usual, As far as I am concerned, sir, I would not have delayed his return for a day.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

At any rate, it would be a proof of attention and kindness in herself, from whom every thing was due; a separation for the present; an averting of the evil day, when they must all be together again.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

The difference of Harriet at Mrs. Goddard's, or in London, made perhaps an unreasonable difference in Emma's sensations; but she could not think of her in London without objects of curiosity and employment, which must be averting the past, and carrying her out of herself.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)