/ iˈluːd; NAmE / verb [ vn ]
1.
to manage to avoid or escape from sb/sth, especially in a clever way :
The two men managed to elude the police for six weeks.
2.
if sth eludes you, you are not able to achieve it, or not able to remember or understand it :
He was extremely tired but sleep eluded him.
They're a popular band but chart success has eluded them so far.
Finally he remembered the tiny detail that had eluded him the night before.
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WORD ORIGIN
mid 16th cent. (in the sense delude, baffle ): from Latin eludere , from e- (variant of ex- ) out, away from + ludere to play.