To turn away or prevent something undesirable from happening.
From Latin 'avertere' where 'a-' (away from) combines with 'vertere' (to turn) meaning 'to turn away.' The word passed through Old French 'avertir' before entering Middle English, maintaining the core meaning of turning something away to avoid or prevent it.
Both 'avert' and 'divert' mean turning away, but there's a subtle difference — you avert your eyes from something disturbing, while you divert a river to a new path! 'Avert' is more about avoiding or preventing, while 'divert' is about redirecting.
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