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deviate

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de⋅vi⋅ate

  [v. dee-vee-eyt; adj., n. dee-vee-it] verb, -at⋅ed, -at⋅ing, adjective, noun
Use deviate in a Sentence
–verb (used without object)
1. to turn aside, as from a route, way, course, etc.
2. to depart or swerve, as from a procedure, course of action, or acceptable norm.
3. to digress, as from a line of thought or reasoning.
–verb (used with object)
4. to cause to swerve; turn aside.
–adjective
5. characterized by deviation or departure from an accepted norm or standard, as of behavior.
–noun
6. a person or thing that departs from the accepted norm or standard.
7. a person whose sexual behavior departs from the norm in a way that is considered socially or morally unacceptable.
8. Statistics. a variable equal to the difference between a variate and some fixed value, often the mean.
Origin:
1625–35; < LL dēviātus turned from the straight road, ptp. of dēviāre. See deviant, -ate 1

Related forms:
de⋅vi⋅a⋅ble, adjective
de⋅vi⋅a⋅bil⋅i⋅ty  [dee-vee-uh-bil-i-tee] , noun
de⋅vi⋅a⋅tor, noun

Synonyms:
1. veer, wander, stray. Deviate, digress, diverge, swerve imply turning or going aside from a path. To deviate is to turn or wander, often by slight degrees, from what is considered the most direct or desirable approach to a given physical, intellectual, or moral end: Fear caused him to deviate from the truth. To digress is primarily to wander from the main theme or topic in writing or speaking: Some authors digress to relate entertaining episodes. Two paths diverge when they proceed from a common point in such directions that the distance between them increases: The sides of an angle diverge from a common point. Their interests gradually diverged. To swerve is to make a sudden or sharp turn from a line or course: The car swerved to avoid striking a pedestrian.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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de·vi·ate   (dē'vē-āt')   
v.   de·vi·at·ed, de·vi·at·ing, de·vi·ates

v.   intr.

  1. To turn aside from a course or way.

  2. To depart, as from a norm, purpose, or subject; stray. See Synonyms at swerve.

v.   tr.
To cause to turn aside or differ.
n.   (-ĭt)
A deviant.

[Late Latin dēviāre, dēviāt- : Latin dē-, de- + Latin via, road; see wegh- in Indo-European roots.]
de'vi·a'tor n., de'vi·a·to'ry (-ə-tôr'ē, -tōr'ē) adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: 1de·vi·ate
Pronunciation: 'dE-vE-&t, -vE-"At
Function: adjective
: characterized by or given to significantdeparture from the behavioral norms of a particular society

Main Entry: 2deviate
Function: noun
: one that deviates from a norm; especially : a person who differs markedly from a group norm
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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