Detour Meaning
/ˈdiː.tɔː(ɹ)/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA diversion or deviation from one's original route.
nounAn 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.
Sentence Examples
We had to make a detour across a bridge down the river from here.
He took a detour to avoid the heavy traffic.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The road closed for repairs, so we had to take a long ____ around the lake.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
We had to make a ____ across a bridge down the river from here.
Word Origin & History
Borrowed from French détour, from détourner (“turn away”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"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."
— 1918 September–November, Edgar Rice Burroughs, “The Land That Time Forgot”, in The Blue Book Magazine, Chicago, Ill.: Story-press Corp., →OCLC; republished as chapter IX, in Hugo Gernsback, editor, Amazing Stories, (please specify |part=I to III), New York, N.Y.: Experimenter Publishing, 1927, →OCLC:
"Of course the Johnston swings around to engage the entire flotilla, and, despite taking several more hits, Johnston successfully forces away the first two ships, which leads to the entire squadron taking a detour to avoid the single pugnacious ship."
— 2019 February 27, Drachinifel, 29:50 from the start, in The Battle of Samar - Odds? What are those?, archived from the original on 03 Nov 2022:
"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."
— 1988 April 9, Elizabeth Pincus, “Freedom Ride Supports Southern Les/Gay Visibility”, in Gay Community News, page 3:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The road closed for repairs, so we had to take a long ____ around the lake.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
We had to make a ____ across a bridge down the river from here.