divert

divert — 動詞

1. to make a person, vehicle, or thing go in a different direction from the one the

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B1
釋義

轉向；改道

使某人或某物改變方向

to make a person, vehicle, or thing go in a different direction from the one they were following

例句

The flight crew diverted the plane to Chicago after a passenger collapsed in the aisle.

一名乘客在走道暈倒後，機組人員將飛機轉向飛往芝加哥。

divert + noun + to + place for an emergency

Heavy rain forced the carnival parade to divert from its usual route.

大雨迫使嘉年華遊行偏離原本的路線。

同義詞
  • redirect

    more general; can apply to mail, phone calls, or traffic without a sense of obstacles

  • reroute

    focuses on changing a planned path, especially for vehicles or deliveries

  • deflect

    suggests pushing something away at an angle, often involving physical force

文法句型

divert + noun + to/from + place

divert + from + noun

用法筆記

This sense can be used both transitively (someone diverts something) and intransitively (something diverts, i.e. changes course). The intransitive use is less common and typically describes traffic, parades, water flow, or aircraft.

常見錯誤

❌The plane diverted from New York' (meaning it left from New York, not that it changed course).
✅The plane diverted from its original route and landed in Chicago.
💡'divert' implies a change from an expected path, not the starting point.

2. to use money, time, resources, or effort for a purpose that was not the original

2.動詞及物B2
釋義

轉用；挪用

將資源用於不同的目的

to use money, time, resources, or effort for a purpose that was not the original one

例句

Bilal diverted part of his monthly salary into a separate savings account.

Bilal 將部分月薪轉入一個獨立的儲蓄帳戶。

divert + money + into + account

Minho decided to divert his energy away from video games and toward his studies.

Minho 決定把精力從電玩轉移到學業上。

同義詞
  • reallocate

    more formal, typically used in business or government contexts

  • earmark

    suggests setting aside for a specific future purpose rather than changing an existing one

  • redirect

    broader; can refer to attention, energy, or resources

文法句型

divert + noun (money/resources) + from + noun + to/toward + noun

用法筆記

The object is typically a resource (money, funds, energy, effort, materials) or a physical space. The pattern is usually 'divert [resource] from [original use] to [new use]'.

常見錯誤

❌I diverted my lunch to a friend' (meaning I gave it away).
✅I diverted the grant money to a new research project.
💡'divert' for repurposing applies to resources, not to everyday objects you hand to someone.

3. to pull someone's thoughts or focus away from what they are doing or thinking ab

3.動詞及物B1
釋義

轉移注意力

分散某人的專注力

to pull someone's thoughts or focus away from what they are doing or thinking about

例句

Tunde tried to divert his daughter's attention from the candy display at the checkout counter.

Tunde 試圖轉移女兒對收銀台糖果陳列架的注意力。

divert someone's attention from/to something

Loud music from the apartment next door kept diverting Linh from her history homework.

隔壁公寓傳來的大聲音樂一直讓 Linh 無法專心寫歷史作業。

同義詞
  • distract

    more common and often implies a negative or unwanted interruption; 'divert' is more neutral

  • disturb

    stronger; implies disrupting or breaking concentration entirely

  • deflect

    physically pushes something away; used metaphorically for blame or criticism

文法句型

divert + noun (attention/thoughts) + from + noun

用法筆記

Frequently used in the pattern 'divert someone's attention/thoughts/mind' followed by 'from' or 'off'. Unlike 'distract', which often implies a negative interruption, 'divert' can be intentional and neutral.

常見錯誤

❌The noise of the TV was diverting me.
✅The noise of the TV was distracting me.
💡'divert' typically takes an object like 'attention' or 'focus' rather than a person directly, unless used reflexively ('divert oneself').

4. to amuse someone or provide enjoyment, especially by giving them something pleas

4.動詞及物B2
釋義

娛樂；消遣

透過有趣活動使人忘卻煩惱

to amuse someone or provide enjoyment, especially by giving them something pleasant to focus on instead of their worries

例句

Hugo read comic books to divert himself while waiting for his delayed flight.

Hugo 在等待延誤的班機時看漫畫書來打發時間。

divert oneself with/by + activity

Andrés built a treehouse to divert the children on long rainy summer afternoons.

Andrés 蓋了一座樹屋，讓孩子們在漫長的夏日午後有地方玩。

同義詞
  • entertain

    more common in everyday use; broader range from hosting guests to providing amusement

  • amuse

    focuses on causing laughter or light enjoyment

  • distract

    similar idea of taking attention away, but without the positive connotation of enjoyment

文法句型

divert + oneself + with/by + activity

divert + noun (person) + from + worry/pain

用法筆記

Often used reflexively ('divert oneself') or with an object that is a person. This sense is more formal and literary than the everyday word 'entertain'. In modern conversation, 'take someone's mind off things' is more common.

常見錯誤

❌We diverted the guests with dinner and music.
✅We entertained the guests with dinner and music.
💡'divert' in the entertainment sense sounds old-fashioned or literary in most social contexts; use 'entertain' for everyday hosting.