swerve
pronunciation
How to pronounce swerve in British English:
UK [swɜ:v]
How to pronounce swerve in American English:
US [swɜrv]
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- Noun:
- the act of turning aside suddenly
- an erratic deflection from an intended course
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- Verb:
- turn sharply; change direction abruptly
Word Origin
- swerve (v.)
- c. 1200, "to depart, go make off; turn away or aside;" c. 1300, "to turn aside, deviate from a straight course;" in form from Old English sweorfan "to rub, scour, file away, grind away," but sense development is difficult to trace. The Old English word is from Proto-Germanic *swerb- (cf Old Norse sverfa "to scour, file," Old Saxon swebran "to wipe off"), from PIE root *swerbh- "to turn; wipe off." Cognate words in other Germanic languages (cognates: Old Frisian swerva "to creep," Middle Dutch swerven "to rove, roam, stray") suggests the sense of "go off, turn aside" might have existed in Old English, though unrecorded. Related: Swerved; swerving.
- swerve (n.)
- 1741, from swerve (v.).
Example
- 1. I had to swerve to avoid hitting him .
- 2. How can tracks swerve safely ?
- 3. The mist means taxi drivers must swerve around corners on instinct as much as vision .
- 4. Nothing will swerve him from his determination .
- 5. I will never swerve from my declared policy on .