What does Deflect mean?

Definitions for Deflect
dɪˈflɛktde·flect

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word Deflect.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. debar, forefend, forfend, obviate, deflect, avert, head off, stave off, fend off, avoid, ward offverb

    prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening

    "Let's avoid a confrontation"; "head off a confrontation"; "avert a strike"

  2. deflect, bend, turn awayverb

    turn from a straight course, fixed direction, or line of interest

  3. deflectverb

    turn aside and away from an initial or intended course

  4. distract, deflectverb

    draw someone's attention away from something

    "The thief distracted the bystanders"; "He deflected his competitors"

  5. parry, block, deflectverb

    impede the movement of (an opponent or a ball)

    "block an attack"

GCIDE

  1. deflectverb

    To cause to turn aside; to bend; as, rays of light are often deflected; to deflect a punch; to deflect criticism by acknowledging a mistake.

Wiktionary

  1. deflectverb

    To make (something) deviate from its original path.

  2. deflectverb

    To deviate from its original path.

  3. deflectverb

    To knock aside.

    The Prime Minister deflected some increasingly pointed questions by claiming he had an appointment.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. To DEFLECTverb

    To turn aside; to deviate from a true course, or right line.

    Etymology: deflecto, Latin.

    At some parts of the Azores the needle deflecteth not, but lieth in the true meridian: on the other side of the Azores, and this side of the Equator, the North point of the needle wheeleth to the West. Thomas Browne, Vulgar Errours.

    Arising beyond the Equator, it maketh northward almost fifteen degrees; and deflecting after westward, without meanders, continueth a strait course about forty degrees. Brown.

    For did not some from a strait course deflect,
    They could not meet, they could no world erect. Richard Blackmore.

ChatGPT

  1. deflect

    Deflect generally means to cause something to change direction by interposing something; to turn aside from a straight course. It can also refer to the act of preventing something from happening or drawing attention away from an unfavorable situation. Deflect is commonly used in physical, psychological or conversational contexts.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Deflectverb

    to cause to turn aside; to bend; as, rays of light are often deflected

  2. Deflectverb

    to turn aside; to deviate from a right or a horizontal line, or from a proper position, course or direction; to swerve

  3. Etymology: [L. deflectere; de- + flectere to bend or turn. See Flexible.]

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Deflect

    de-flekt′, v.i. or v.t. to turn aside: to swerve or deviate from a right line or proper course.—p.adj. Deflect′ed (bot.), bent abruptly downward.—ns. Deflec′tion, Deflex′ion, deviation.—adj. Deflec′tive, causing deflection.—n. Deflec′tor, a diaphragm in a lamp, stove, &c., by which the flame and gases are brought together and the combustion improved.—v.t. Deflex′ (zool., bot.), to bend down.—adj. Deflexed′.—n. Deflex′ure, deviation. [L. de, from, and flectĕre, flexum, to bend, turn.]

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Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of Deflect in Chaldean Numerology is: 5

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of Deflect in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1

Examples of Deflect in a Sentence

  1. Bill Clinton:

    There are real questions being raised about whether Donald Trump himself is just a puppet for the Kremlin in this race, washington Republicans ' need Donald Trump to disclose all of his financial ties and whether Donald Trump advisers are having meetings with the Kremlin. Mook pressed similar points on CBS, saying Trump has ties to China money, while again trying to deflect questions about the foundation’s alleged.

  2. Nancy Chabot:

    This isn't going to destroy the asteroid, it's just going to give it a small nudge and deflect its path around the larger asteroid.

  3. The Trump campaign on Tuesday:

    After saying she was open to tearing down statues of George Washington, Tammy Duckworth is now using her military service to deflect from her support for the left-wing campaign to villainize America's founding.

  4. Mike Pompeo:

    We can now see the fix was in for President Obama and Secretary Clinton to make sure that Bernie Sanders would never be elected. That's embarrassing to many Democrats, so they're flailing about trying to find separate storyline to deflect from the true substance of what was in those emails.

  5. Matt Brooks:

    Farrakhan, by God’s grace, has pulled the cover off of that Satanic Jew and I’m here to say your time is up, your world is through. his comment about Netanyahu and Israel is a pivot to deflect from the fact that he’s unwilling and unprepared to condemn the hatred of Mr. Farrakhan.

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Deflect#10000#44754#100000

Translations for Deflect

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"Deflect." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 18 Apr. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/Deflect>.

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    take away to an undisclosed location against their will and usually in order to extract a ransom
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