Topic Thesaurus
Roget's Thesaurus

Avoidance (Absence of pursuit)

Nouns
Verbs
  • abstain, refrain, spare, not attempt
  • not do etc. Inaction
  • maintain the even tenor of one's way. eschew, keep from, let alone, have nothing to do with
  • keep aloof keep off, stand aloof, stand off, hold aloof, hold off
  • take no part in, have no hand in. avoid, shun
  • steer clear of, keep clear of
  • fight shy of
  • keep one's distance, keep at a respectful distance
  • keep out of the way, get out of the way
  • evade, elude, turn away from
  • set one's face against etc. (oppose) Opposition
  • deny oneself. shrink back
  • hang back, hold back, draw back
  • recoil etc. Recoil
  • retire etc. (recede) [Motion from.] Recession
  • flinch, blink, blench, shy, shirk, dodge, parry, make way for, give place to. beat a retreat
  • turn tail, turn one's back
  • take to one's heels
  • runaway, run for one's life
  • cut and run
  • be off like a shot
  • fly, flee
  • fly away, flee away, run away from
  • take flight, take to flight
  • desert, elope
  • make off, scamper off, sneak off, shuffle off, sheer off
  • break away, tear oneself away, slip away, slink away, steel away, make away from, scamper away from, sneak away from, shuffle away from, sheer away from
  • slip cable, part company, turn one's heel
  • sneak out of, play truant, give one the go by, give leg bail, take French leave, slope, decamp, flit, bolt, abscond, levant, skedaddle, absquatulat [U.S.], cut one's stick, walk one's chalks, show a light pair of heels, make oneself scarce
  • escape etc. Escape
  • go away etc. (depart) [Initial motion from.] Departure
  • abandon etc. Relinquishment
  • reject etc. Rejection. lead one a dance, lead one a pretty dance
  • throw off the scent, play at hide and seek.
Adjectives
  • unsought, unattempted, lest, in order to avoid.
  • avoiding etc. v.
  • neutral, shy of etc. (unwilling) Unwillingness
  • elusive, evasive
  • fugitive, runaway
  • shy, wild.
Int
  • forbear!, keep off, hands off!, every man for himself! [Fr.Tr.]
  • devil take the hindmost!
Phrases
  • things unattempted yet in prose or rhyme" [Paradise Lost].