deter
/dɪˈtɝ/ verb C1- To prevent something from happening.
- To persuade someone not to do something; to discourage. · Their boss deterred them from both taking holidays at the same time, claiming he couldn't manage it all on his own.
- To distract someone from something.
He/she/it deters · Past deterred · Past participle deterred · -ing form deterring
Verb forms
- Base form
- deter
- He/she/it
- deters
- Past
- deterred
- Past participle
- deterred
- -ing form
- deterring
An irregular verb: learn its past and past participle by heart.
From the library
“Is it possible,” said he, “that where your liberty is at stake you can allow any such scruple to deter you from obtaining it?”
His pride, in that direction, may be of service, if not to himself, to many others, for it must deter him from such foul misconduct as I have suffered by.
“My child,” exclaimed the old lady sharply, “let us hear none of the conventional objections that deter weak minds from preparing for the future.
Learn deter in real texts
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