avoid/prevent

Từ điển Oxford Learners Wordfinder Dictionary

1 keeping away from sb/sth
2 stopping sth
3 preventing movement
not allowing sth ALLOW

1 keeping away from sb/sth
- to keep away from sb/sth: avoid sb/sth; noun (U): avoidance
We avoided the traffic by taking another route. ◎ I think he's trying to avoid me. ◎ Jane always avoids shopping on Saturday.
- to manage to avoid sth: escape sth/doing sth
George was lucky to escape injury when his car skidded off the road.
- not to take part in sth: stay/keep* out of sth
I'm just trying to keep out of trouble!
- to make it unnecessary for sb to do sth: save sb (doing) sth
Thanks very much - you saved me having to go out to the shops.
※—† moving in order to avoid sth
- to move quickly in order to avoid sth: dodge (sth)
He managed to dodge the policeman and get into the building.
- to change direction suddenly in order to avoid sth: swerve
The car swerved to avoid the children.
- to move your head down quickly to avoid being seen or hit: duck
She ducked to avoid the flying ball.

2 stopping sth
- to cause sb not to do sth: stop sb doing sth, (more formal) prevent sb (from) doing sth
Could you go and stop those children making such a noise? ◎ My sore throat prevented me from singing in the concert.
- to cause sth not to happen: prevent sth, prevent sth (from) happening, avoid sth
His quick action prevented an accident. ◎ We were prevented from leaving by the police. ◎ I managed to avoid being caught. ◎ to try to avoid an argument
- the act of preventing sth: prevention (noun U)
accident prevention ◎ the prevention of terrorism
- a thing that you do in order to avoid danger or problems: precaution
to take precautions against disease
- to limit the things that can happen or that people can do: restrict sb/sth (to sth)
The growth of the city is restricted by the surrounding mountains. ◎ We had almost nothing to live on and were restricted to one meal a day.
- if you can prevent sth, it is preventable, avoidable
Most accidents in the home are preventable. ◎ avoidable problems
- if sth cannot be prevented, it is unavoidable, inevitable, (formal) inescapable
an unavoidable delay ◎ It was inevitable that she would find out the truth in the end. ◎ The conclusion was inescapable: he had to return the money.
- if you are unable to stop yourself from saying sth or doing sth, you can't help yourself, can't help it, can't help doing sth
'Can't you stop coughing?' 'I'm sorry - I can't help it!' ◎ I can't help crying when I watch these romantic films.
- if you cannot prevent sth, but you decide to continue anyway, you say that it can't be helped
Paul can't play in the match? Oh well, it can't be helped, we'll just have to do our best without him.
※—† trying to prevent sth
- to make sb not want to do sth: put* sb off (sth/doing sth), discourage sb (from sth/doing sth)
Seeing that film's put me off the idea of a skiing holiday!
- something which makes people not want to do sth: deterrent
the nuclear deterrent ◎ A small fine just isn't a big enough deterrent against dangerous driving.
- to try to stop sth happening: resist (sth); noun (U): resistance
to resist change ◎ People have put up a lot of resistance against the new policy.
- to try very hard to stop or prevent sth: fight* sth, fight* against sth
to fight a decision ◎ to fight against disease/unemployment/prejudice
- to keep sb/sth safe from danger or attack: protect sb/sth (from sb/sth)
This cream should protect your skin from the sun.
※ more on protecting PROTECT
※—† stopping sb doing their work
- to prevent sb/sth from making progress: hold* sb/sth back
She's a really good student - unfortunately her poor spelling is holding her back.
- to prevent sb from concentrating on their work: distract sb (from sth); noun (U): distraction
Some people like listening to music while they're working; others find it a distraction.
- to prevent sth or slow down the progress that sb/sth makes: interfere (with sth)
These worries are starting to interfere with my work.
- something which stops you from making progress: obstacle, barrier
One major obstacle to progress has been lack of funds.

3 preventing movement
- to make it impossible for sb/sth to go into sth or along sth: block sth; not blocked: clear
We found that our way was blocked. ◎ The road is clear for miles ahead.
- to stop sb/sth from moving: obstruct sb/sth; something which prevents sth moving: obstruction
Please move - you're obstructing the traffic.
- to prevent sb/sth from entering a place: shut* sb/sth out (of a place)
The cat was bothering me so I shut it out of the room.
- to prevent sb from leaving a place: keep* sb/sth in (a place)
I'm keeping Lucy in today - she seems to have a bad cold.
- to prevent sb from going near a place: keep* sb away (from a place)
Can you keep him away while I make his birthday cake?
- to prevent sb/sth from moving forward: hold* sb/sth back
The police were trying to hold back the demonstrators.