Question 1 · Quick check
thwart
/θwɔːt/
verb · adjective · adverb
Türkçe translations
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In plain English
- 01
verb
To prevent someone from achieving a plan or goal.
- 02
verb
Extra detailOf people: having a tendency to oppose; obstinate, perverse, stubborn.
Examples
A moat was dug around the castle to thwart attackers.
Tom tried to thwart her plans.
At a glance
Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale
- Senses
- 5
- Parts of speech
- 3
- Citations
- 5
- Synonyms
- 5
Deep Dive
verb
Extra meaningOf situations or things: adverse, unfavourable, unlucky.
adjective
Extra meaningPlaced or situated across something else; cross, oblique, transverse.
adverb
Extra meaningAcross the direction of travel or length of; athwart, crosswise, obliquely, transversely.
More examples
In contextTom tried to thwart Mary's plans.
Our plans for a picnic were thwarted by the thunderstorm.
An arrow thwarts the air.
Related
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Nearby
Origin
verb
From Middle English thwerte, from the adjective thwert (“obstinate, perverse”), from Old Norse þvert, neuter of þverr (“transverse”). Cognates The English adjective is cognate with Danish tvær (“sullen, sulky”), Gothic 𐌸𐍅𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌷𐍃 (þwairhs, “angry”), Middle Dutch dwers, dwars (modern Dutch dwars (“crosswise, transverse; slantwise, askew; stubbornly disobedient”)), Norwegian tvert, tvært, Old Frisian þweres, dwers (Saterland Frisian twars, West Frisian dwers, dwerz (“across, to the other side of; beyond”)), Middle Low German dwers, dwars (Low German dwars (“contrary; cross-grained”)), Old English þweorh (“transverse; perverse; angry, cross”), Old High German twer (Middle High German twer,...