Divert1. (v. t.) To turn aside; to turn off from any course or intended application; to deflect; as, to divert a river from its channel; to divert commerce from its usual course.
2. (v. t.) To turn away from any occupation, business, or study; to cause to have lively and agreeable sensations; to amuse; to entertain; as, children are diverted with sports; men are diverted with works of wit and humor.
3. (v. i.) To turn aside; to digress.
Thesaurus Entries
absorb, abstract, abuse, alter, amuse, avert, befoul, beguile, bend, bias, blunt, call away, change, change course, chill, convert, convulse, cool, crook, curve, damp, dampen, debase, defalcate, defile, deflect, delight, depart, desecrate, detach, deter, detract, detract attention, deviate, diffract, diffuse, disaffect, discourage, disengage, disincline, disinterest, disperse, distort, distract, diverge, divert the mind, dogleg, embezzle, engage, enliven, entertain, exhilarate, foul, fracture one, gladden, hairpin, indispose, interest, kill, knock dead, loosen up, maladminister, misapply, misappropriate, misemploy, mishandle, mismanage, misuse, modify, occupy, peculate, pervert, pilfer, pivot, please, pollute, profane, prostitute, pull, put off, quench, raise a laugh, raise a smile, recreate, redirect, refract, refresh, regale, relax, repel, scatter, sheer, shift, sidetrack, skew, slay, solace, swerve, switch, tickle, titillate, turn, turn aside, turn away, turn from, turn off, twist, veer, violate, volte-face, warp, wean from, wheel, whip, whirl, wow, zigzag