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tr. & intr.v. swerved, swerv·ing, swerves To turn aside or be turned aside abruptly from a straight path or established pattern. n. The act of swerving. [Middle English swerven, from Old English sweorfan, to rub, scour.] Synonyms: swerve, depart, deviate, digress, diverge, stray, veer1 These verbs mean to turn away from a straight path or established pattern, as of thought or action: a gaze that never swerved; won't depart from family traditions; deviated from the original plan; digressed from the main topic; opinions that diverged; strays from the truth; a conversation that veered away from sensitive issues. |
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