de ‧ ter /dɪˈtɜː $ -ˈtɜːr/ BrE AmE verb ( past tense and past participle deterred , present participle deterring ) [transitive]
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: deterrere , from terrere 'to frighten' ]
to stop someone from doing something, by making them realize it will be difficult or have bad results ⇨ deterrent :
The company’s financial difficulties have deterred potential investors.
deter somebody from (doing) something
The security camera was installed to deter people from stealing.
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In everyday English, people usually say put someone off rather than deter someone:
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Don’t let a few problems put you off.