Swerve

/swɜːv/ · verb

Meaning

(archaic) To stray; to wander; to rove..

Definitions by Sense

1. (archaic) To stray; to wander; to rove.
2. To go out of a straight line; to deflect.
3. To wander from any line prescribed, or from a rule or duty; to depart from what is established by law, duty, custom, or the like; to deviate.
4. To bend; to incline; to give way.
5. To climb or move upward by winding or turning.
6. To turn aside or deviate to avoid impact.
7. Of a projectile, to travel in a curved line
8. To drive in the trajectory of another vehicle to stop it, to cut off.

Example Sentences

A maid thitherward did run, / To catch her sparrow which from her did swerve.

with the slipping of the pommel , the point swerved

I swerve not from thy commandments.

They swerve from the strict letter of the law.

[T]here are many Perſons, who, through the Heat of their Luſts and Paſſions, through the Contagion of Ill Example, or too deep an Immerſion in the Affairs of Life, ſwerve exceedingly from the Rules of their Holy Faith; […]

The battle swerved.

The tree was high; / Yet nimbly up from bough to bough I swerved.

Snodgrass also saw a free-kick swerve just wide before Arsenal, with Walcott and Fabregas by now off the bench, turned their vastly superior possession into chances in the closing moments

Synonyms for swerve

Antonyms for swerve

Related Words

Word Forms

• swerves
• swerving
• swerved
• swarve

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

Practice and Learn More

Frequently Asked Questions