deviate

de•vi•ate

v. [[t]ˈdi viˌeɪt[/t]] adj., n. [[t]-ɪt[/t]] v. -at•ed, -at•ing, adj. n.

1) to turn aside, as from a route or course

2) to depart, as from an accepted procedure, standard, or course of action

3) to digress, as from a line of thought

4) to cause to swerve; turn aside

5) characterized by deviation or departure from an accepted norm or standard, as of behavior

6) a person or thing that departs from the accepted norm or standard

7) a person whose sexual behavior departs from the norm in a socially or morally unacceptable way

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Etymology: 1625–35; < LL dēviātus, ptp. of dēviāre to turn into another road = L dē- de-+-viāre, der. of via road, way de′vi•a`tor, n. de′vi•a•to`ry -əˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i de′vi•a`tive, adj. syn: deviate, digress, diverge imply turning or going aside from a path. To deviate is to stray from a usual or established standard, course of action, or route: Fear made him deviate from the truth. To digress is to wander from the main theme in speaking or writing: The speaker digressed to relate an amusing anecdote. To diverge is to differ or to move in different directions from a common point or course: Their interests gradually diverged.