swerve

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Related to swerves: abide by, lowered, sought out, dropping by

swerve away (from someone or something)

1. To turn or veer abruptly aside in order to avoid collision or interaction (with someone or something). I managed to swerve away from the oncoming truck at the last moment. The motorcyclist was bearing down on her but swerved away before hitting her. I swerved away from the bar when I noticed the creepy guy staring at me.
2. To avoid or evade (someone or something) by abruptly changing one's plans or intentions. We swerved away from the merger after we realized how badly it would impact our employees. I've really started swerving away from people who bring nothing but toxic negativity to the table.
See also: away, someone, swerve

swerve into (from someone or something)

1. To collide with someone or something after turning or veering quickly, sharply, or abruptly to one side. I turned the corner and swerved into the principal, knocking her briefcase right out of his hands. The car lost control and swerved into a lamppost.
2. To enter into something after turning or veering quickly, sharply, or abruptly to one side. The truck swerved into my lane to avoid hitting the pedestrian on the road. I swerved into a side alley to avoid the police.
3. To become involved with or begin working in some different field, industry, area of expertise, etc., especially very suddenly or abruptly. I actually started out as a family photographer, but I swerved into doing headshots after getting into a conversation with a couple of actors at a party a couple years back. The heavy metal band started swerving into a more pop-rock sound in the early 2000s.
See also: someone, swerve
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

swerve (away) (from someone or something)

to turn sharply away from someone or something. The car swerved away from Carla just in time. It swerved away just in time.

swerve into someone or something

to turn sharply and directly into someone or something. (Usually an accident.) The car almost swerved into a pedestrian. The bus swerved into a truck.
See also: swerve
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
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References in periodicals archive ?
Liz Hindmarsh said her husband had to swerve into the middle lane otherwise he would have been hit.
Hurtling wrong way down M40.. caravan death driver; Three killed in smash after 5-mile terror
A second blue truck barely skids to a stop after its cabin swerves nearly 180 degrees to avoid colliding with the white car.
Video: Car escapes unscratched after causing 2 trucks to swerve
Sudden swerve carries a fine of Dh1,000, according to the updated list of penalties for traffic violations .
Sudden swerve: What it is and how much is the fine
Drivers are forced to swerve to avoid the silver Renault Clio, with many ending up on the verge.
"At one point an ambulance had to practically swerve off the road as he passed it.
WRONG-WAY NUT WAVED AS HE HIT 80mph; THREE MILES OF TERROR ON BUSY ROAD Drivers forced to swerve to avoid horrifying smash
The World Cup is the biggest market place in football and adidas are cleverly keeping their ball in the news every day as the cash registers ker-ching at pounds 79.95 a pop (pounds 14.95 for a replica) Even TV commentators are taken in, knowledgeably telling us about how much movement there was on a shot when a replay shows either no deviation at all or the sort of swerve that would have been no more than a back pass for the likes of Didi, Dirceu, Rivelino and Eder.
Many fans are too young to remember Brazil in their pomp when their free-kick specialists could dip, swerve and power shots into the top corners using a ball that could best be described as a puddin'.
Cup stars should be made to train with a Frido ball
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