Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • intransitive verb To turn aside from a course or direction.
  • intransitive verb To distract.
  • intransitive verb To entertain by distracting the attention from worrisome thoughts or cares; amuse. synonym: amuse.
  • intransitive verb To turn aside.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To turn aside or away; change the direction or course of; cause to move or act in a different line or manner: as, to divert a stream from its bed; to divert the mind from its troubles; he was diverted from his purpose.
  • To turn to a different point or end; change the aim or destination of; draw to another course, purpose, or destiny.
  • To turn from customary or serious occupation; furnish diversion to; amuse; entertain.
  • To subvert; destroy.
  • Synonyms To draw away. See absent, a.
  • Amuse, Divert, Entertain, etc. (see amuse); to delight, exhilarate.
  • To turn aside; turn out of one's way; digress.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • intransitive verb obsolete To turn aside; to digress.
  • transitive verb To turn aside; to turn off from any course or intended application; to deflect
  • transitive verb To turn away from any occupation, business, or study; to cause to have lively and agreeable sensations; to amuse; to entertain

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb transitive To turn aside from a course.
  • verb transitive To distract.
  • verb transitive To entertain or amuse (by diverting the attention)
  • verb obsolete, intransitive To turn aside; to digress.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb withdraw (money) and move into a different location, often secretly and with dishonest intentions
  • verb turn aside; turn away from
  • verb occupy in an agreeable, entertaining or pleasant fashion
  • verb send on a course or in a direction different from the planned or intended one

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English diverten, from Old French divertir, from Latin dīvertere : dī-, dis-, aside; see dis– + vertere, to turn; see wer- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English diverten, from Old French divertir ("to turn or go different ways, part, separate, divert"), from di- ("apart") + vertere ("to turn"); see verse.

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Examples

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  • Add diverted to your words, I prefer it over divert and diversion.

    September 30, 2008