divert Copy link Outline I. To turn off the waters of a river1. dērīvo, 12. āverto, ti, sum, 3II. To turn the attention or emotions in a new direction1. dērīvo, 12. āverto, ti, sum, 33. dēpello, pŭli, pulsum, 3 (like averto, to induce to abandon)4. āvŏco, 1 (to call off or be the means of doing so)5. dēvŏco, 16. abdūco, xi, ctum, 3III. To amuse1. oblecto, 1 (for diff. from delecto, comp. AMUSEMENT, fin.)2. lūdo, si, sum, 3 (to d. oneself)IV. As milit. t. t.1. distringo, nxi, ctum, 32. distrăho, xi, ctum, 3 • divert: I. To turn off the waters of a river: 1. dērīvo, 1: v. to draw off. 2. āverto, ti, sum, 3: to d. rivers: flumina a., Cic. II. To turn the attention or emotions in a new direction: 1. dērīvo, 1: to d. any one's anger and turn it on oneself, iram alicujus in se d., Cic. 2. āverto, ti, sum, 3: to d. a person from an undertaking, aliquem ab incepto a., Liv. 3. dēpello, pŭli, pulsum, 3 (like averto, to induce to abandon): to d. a person from his expectation and aim, aliquem de spe conatuque d., Cic. 4. āvŏco, 1 (to call off or be the means of doing so): pleasure has never d.'d my attention from (seeking) another's good, ab nullius unquam commodo voluptas me avocavit, Cic. 5. dēvŏco, 1: v. to call away. 6. abdūco, xi, ctum, 3: v. to draw off (fig.). III. To amuse: 1. oblecto, 1 (for diff. from delecto, comp. amusement, fin.): v. to amuse. 2. lūdo, si, sum, 3 (to d. oneself): the mind d.s itself with such pursuits, l. in istis animus, Sen.: v. to play. IV. As milit. t. t.: 1. distringo, nxi, ctum, 3: to d. the enemy's forces, ad distringendas copias hostium, Liv. 2. distrăho, xi, ctum, 3: to d. the enemy's attention, distrahendo hosti (better, ad distrahendum hostem), Tac. Comp. to distract.
DIVERT Copy link • DIVERTTo turn off from any course, flectere; declinare aliquem, or aliquid de re (☞ declinare in this sense not Ciceronian; but Liv., si quo inde agmen declinare voluissem; and Quintilian, neque spe neque metu declinatus animus): animum et cogitationes avocare a re (with reference to the mind): derivare (of rivers, etc.; also IMPROP., rem in aliquid): deducere (to lead or move astray): avertere (to give a different direction): abducere: abstrahere (to divert entirely): avocare (to call off; aliquem ab aliqua re: to anything, ad aliquid. Also of “diverting forces some other way,” [Davies], milites ad aliud bellum avocare, Liv.). To divert the course of a river, flumen derivare, avertere; aquam de fluvio or ex flumine derivare (to lead off the water): to divert the river from its usual, or into another channel, flumen novo alveo avertere: to divert anybody from his purpose, aliquem a consilio revocare: not to allow one’s self to be diverted from one’s purpose, perstare in aliqua re. Hence, to turn the mind from anything it is intent on, distrahere (e.g., alicujus industriam in plura studia): aliquem distinere (to distract his attention): distringere aliquem (to occupy with more than one object). To divert anybody’s mind from his grief, animum alicujus a curis or a solicitudine abducere: aliquem oblectare. Hence, to amuse, Vid.