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to turn away or aside:
to avert one’s eyes.
to ward off; prevent:
to avert evil; to avert an accident.
contemporary examples

for the moment, if it ever was a serious possibility, an israeli strike has been averted.
what obama said about iran ali gharib march 21, 2013

the hold-your-nose solution may have been ugly, but the apocalypse was averted.
you can’t ask for more ted widmer november 1, 2009

a conflict with the cops had been averted in full view of television cameras.
the battle for wall street john avlon october 13, 2011

there was even an effort to set off bombs disguised as fire extinguishers in new york city, which was averted only by luck.
obama’s last chance on libya christopher d-ckey march 14, 2011

we also averted potential really catastrophic problems with critical infrastructure.
how sabu the hacker rat manipulated a good-hearted judge michael daly may 27, 2014

historical examples

her eyes were averted, and she withdrew her hand quietly but gently, as not upbraiding him.
the golden dog william kirby

had mrs. bines been above talking to low people, a catastrophe might have been averted.
the spenders harry leon wilson

julia averted her eyes, and blushed scarlet, but placed her hand in that of the count just as her mother entered the apartment.
the three brides, love in a cottage, and other tales francis a. durivage

she averted her head, plucking at the strands of the hammock.
the fortune hunter louis joseph vance

hurriedly resuming his walk, oliver p-ssed loman with averted eyes, and went on his way.
the fifth form at saint dominic’s talbot baines reed

verb (transitive)
to turn away or aside: to avert one’s gaze
to ward off; prevent from occurring: to avert danger
v.

c.1400, from old french avertir (12c.), “turn, direct; avert; make aware,” from vulgar latin -advertire, from latin avertere “to turn away, to drive away,” from ab- “from, away” (see ab-) + vertere “to turn” (see versus). related: averted; averting.