verb
1 prevent sth; choose not to do sth
ADVERB
▪ altogether
▪
It is sometimes impossible to ~ conflict altogether.
▪ actively , assiduously , carefully , consciously , deliberately , intentionally , purposefully , purposely , scrupulously , studiously
▪
The two men carefully ~ed one another.
▪
I scrupulously ~ artificial additives when I buy food.
▪ barely , narrowly
▪
They narrowly ~ed defeat in the semi-final.
▪ deftly , wisely
▪
He deftly ~ed answering the question.
▪ pointedly
▪
She pointedly ~ed looking at him when she spoke.
▪ easily , successfully
▪
Most of these problems could have been easily ~ed.
▪ generally , largely
▪
As someone who generally ~s teen movies, I didn't expect to enjoy this.
▪ at all costs
▪
Getting involved in a court case is something to be ~ed at all costs.
VERB + AVOID
▪ be anxious to , want to , wish to
▪
They are anxious to ~ any further misunderstandings.
▪ attempt to , try to
▪ be careful to , take care to
▪
He was careful to ~ any sentimentality in his speech.
▪ help (to)
▪ be able to , manage to
▪ be possible to
▪ be difficult to , be impossible to
PHRASES
▪ an attempt to ~ sth , an effort to ~ sth
▪
He failed in his attempt to ~ having to pay.
2 not hit sb/sth
ADVERB
▪ narrowly
▪
He braked hard and narrowly ~ed a parked van.
VERB + AVOID
▪ brake to , slow to , slow down to
▪ swerve to
▪
She swerved to ~ a bicycle.
▪ duck to , duck down to
▪
They ducked to ~ a low branch.
Avoid is used with these nouns as the object: ↑ accident , ↑ alcohol , ↑ ambiguity , ↑ annihilation , ↑ appearance , ↑ arrest , ↑ attention , ↑ bankruptcy , ↑ bias , ↑ bloodshed , ↑ blow , ↑ boredom , ↑ build-up , ↑ capture , ↑ carbohydrate , ↑ casualty , ↑ catastrophe , ↑ censure , ↑ chaos , ↑ charge , ↑ clash , ↑ cliché , ↑ collapse , ↑ collision , ↑ complication , ↑ conflict , ↑ confrontation , ↑ confusion , ↑ congestion , ↑ conscription , ↑ contact , ↑ contamination , ↑ controversy , ↑ conversation , ↑ crash , ↑ creation , ↑ creditor , ↑ crisis , ↑ criticism , ↑ crowd , ↑ damage , ↑ danger , ↑ death , ↑ defeat , ↑ dehydration , ↑ delay , ↑ destiny , ↑ destruction , ↑ detection , ↑ difficulty , ↑ disadvantage , ↑ disagreement , ↑ disappointment , ↑ disaster , ↑ discord , ↑ dispute , ↑ disruption , ↑ distortion , ↑ distraction , ↑ distress , ↑ draft , ↑ duplication , ↑ duty , ↑ effect , ↑ embarrassment , ↑ encounter , ↑ error , ↑ excess , ↑ expense , ↑ exposure , ↑ extradition , ↑ extreme , ↑ failure , ↑ fat , ↑ fate , ↑ fatigue , ↑ fire , ↑ food , ↑ gaze , ↑ hazard , ↑ impression , ↑ incident , ↑ inconvenience , ↑ infection , ↑ influence , ↑ injury , ↑ interference , ↑ issue , ↑ jail , ↑ jargon , ↑ liability , ↑ limelight , ↑ litigation , ↑ mention , ↑ mishap , ↑ mistake , ↑ misunderstanding , ↑ necessity , ↑ need , ↑ obstacle , ↑ penalty , ↑ peril , ↑ persecution , ↑ pitfall , ↑ pollution , ↑ pregnancy , ↑ prison , ↑ problem , ↑ prosecution , ↑ publicity , ↑ punishment , ↑ question , ↑ recession , ↑ recognition , ↑ recourse , ↑ recurrence , ↑ reduction , ↑ redundancy , ↑ reference , ↑ repetition , ↑ responsibility , ↑ rigour , ↑ risk , ↑ rush , ↑ scandal , ↑ scrutiny , ↑ showdown , ↑ situation , ↑ stagnation , ↑ starvation , ↑ stigma , ↑ stress , ↑ subject , ↑ suspicion , ↑ tax , ↑ taxation , ↑ temptation , ↑ traffic , ↑ tragedy , ↑ trap , ↑ trouble , ↑ urge , ↑ violation , ↑ wastage , ↑ waste , ↑ worst , ↑ wrath