Meaning & Definition
verb
To turn aside or change the direction of something.
The heavy rains diverted the river from its usual course.
To distract or entertain someone.
She used a funny movie to divert her children while she finished her work.
To cause (someone) to change course from the original plan.
The unexpected road closure diverted traffic to alternate routes.
To redirect something, especially to a different use.
The charity decided to divert funds from the event to assist disaster relief efforts.
Etymology
From Latin 'divertĕre', meaning 'to turn aside'.
Common Phrases and Expressions
divert attention:
To cause someone to focus on something else.
divert traffic:
To redirect vehicles from their usual route.
divert resources:
To allocate resources to a different use.
Slang Meanings