detour

CEFRB1

/ˈdiː.tɔː(ɹ)/

noun · verb

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    A longer route taken because the usual route is closed.

  2. 02

    verb

    To take a different route to avoid something.

Examples

  • He took a detour to avoid the heavy traffic.

  • We had to make a detour across a bridge down the river from here.

At a glance

Sits at B1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
3

Also pronounced

  • /ˈdi.toɹ/
  • /dɪˈtʊə/

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. An temporary alternative route available to motorists away from the usual route due to a closure for repairs, dealing with an accident, or some event rendering the usual route unusable.

  2. To make a detour.

  3. A diversion or deviation from one's original route.

More examples

In context

  • On the third day I made a detour westward to avoid the country of the Band-lu, as I did not care to be detained by a meeting with To-jo.

  • Petrelis detoured away from southern activities to visit Chicago and help draw attention to lesbian, gay and AIDS issues during the Illinois primary March 16.

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The road closed for repairs, so we had to take a long blank around the lake.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

Borrowed from French détour, from détourner (“turn away”).