1. (v.) To empty.

2. (v.) To emit or throw out; to void; as, to avoid excretions.

3. (v.) To quit or evacuate; to withdraw from.

4. (v.) To make void; to annul or vacate; to refute.

5. (v.) To keep away from; to keep clear of; to endeavor no to meet; to shun; to abstain from; as, to avoid the company of gamesters.

6. (v.) To get rid of.

7. (v.) To defeat or evade; to invalidate. Thus, in a replication, the plaintiff may deny the defendant's plea, or confess it, and avoid it by stating new matter.

8. (v. i.) To retire; to withdraw.

9. (v. i.) To become void or vacant.

abstain abstain from avert be stuck-up bilk blench blink circumvent cringe debar deflect divert do without dodge double draw back duck elude escape eschew evade exclude fade fall back fight shy of flinch forbear forbid forgo give place to hang back hold aloof hold aloof from hold back jib keep aloof keep away from keep clear of keep from keep hands off keep off keep remote from leave alone let alone let go by make way for never touch not meddle with not touch obviate pass up preclude prevent prohibit pull back quail recoil reel back refrain refrain from retreat sheer off shrink shrink back shun shy sidestep spare stand aloof stand aloof from start aside start back stay detached from steer clear of swerve turn aside turn away from ward off weasel weasel out wince withhold