diversion - Definitions from Dictionary.com

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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

di·ver·sion

Audio Help [di-vur-zhuh

n, -shuh

n, dahy-] Pronunciation Key

–noun

1.	the act of diverting or turning aside, as from a course or purpose: a diversion of industry into the war effort.

2.	a channel made to divert the flow of water from one course to another or to direct the flow of water draining from a piece of ground.

3.	British. a detour on a highway or road.

4.	distraction from business, care, etc.; recreation; amusement; a pastime: Movies are his favorite diversion.

5.	Military. a feint intended to draw off attention from the point of main attack.

[Origin: 1590–1600; < ML dīversiōn- (s. of dīversiō), equiv. to L dīvers(us) diverse + -iōn- -ion

]

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
diversion

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

di·ver·sion Audio Help (dĭ-vûr'zhən, -shən, dī-) Pronunciation Key
n.

The act or an instance of diverting or turning aside; deviation.
Something that distracts the mind and relaxes or entertains.
A maneuver that draws the attention of an opponent away from a planned point of action, especially as part of military strategy.

[Late Latin dīversiō, dīversiōn-, act of turning aside, from Latin dīversus, past participle of dīvertere, to divert; see divert.]

di·ver'sion·ar'y adj.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
diversion

1600, from M.Fr. diversion, from L.L. diversionem (nom. diversio), from L. divertere (see divert). Sense of "amusement, entertainment" is first recorded 1648. Hence, divertimento (1823), from the It. form, originally "a musical composition designed primarily for entertainment."

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

diversion
noun
1.	an activity that diverts or amuses or stimulates; "scuba diving is provided as a diversion for tourists"; "for recreation he wrote poetry and solved crossword puzzles"; "drug abuse is often regarded as a form of recreation"
2.	a turning aside (of your course or attention or concern); "a diversion from the main highway"; "a digression into irrelevant details"; "a deflection from his goal"
3.	an attack calculated to draw enemy defense away from the point of the principal attack

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
diversion1 [daiˈvəːʃən, (American) -ʒən] noun

an alteration to a traffic route
Example: There's a diversion at the end of the road.

Arabic:	تَغيير إتِّجاه
Chinese (Simplified):	交通改道
Chinese (Traditional):	交通改道
Czech:	objížďka, odklon
Danish:	omkørsel
Dutch:	omlegging
Estonian:	ümbersõit
Finnish:	kiertotie
French:	déviation
German:	die Umleitung
Greek:	παράκαμψη
Hungarian:	elterelés, terelőút
Icelandic:	beining í aðra átt
Indonesian:	perubahan arah lalu lintas
Italian:	deviazione

Japanese:	迂回路
Korean:	주의를 혼란시킴
Latvian:	novirzīšanās; atzarojums
Lithuanian:	eismo nukreipimas kitu keliu
Norwegian:	omkjøring
Polish:	objazd, zmiana organizacji ruchu
Portuguese (Brazil):	desvio
Portuguese (Portugal):	desvio
Romanian:	deviere
Russian:	объезд
Slovak:	odbočka
Slovenian:	obvoz
Spanish:	desviación, desvío
Swedish:	omläggning
Turkish:	yan yol, servis yolu

diversion2 [daiˈvəːʃən, (American) -ʒən] noun

(an act of) diverting attention

Arabic:	تَحْويل
Chinese (Simplified):	注意力转移
Chinese (Traditional):	注意力轉移
Czech:	odvrácení
Danish:	afledningsmanøvre
Dutch:	afleidingsactie
Estonian:	tähelepanu kõrvalejuhtimine
Finnish:	toisaalle suuntaaminen
French:	diversion
German:	die Ablenkung
Greek:	αντιπερισπασμός
Hungarian:	elterelés (figyelemé)
Icelandic:	leiða athygli burt frá e-u
Indonesian:	pengalihan
Italian:	distrazione

Japanese:	わきへそらすこと
Korean:	오락, 기분 전환이 되는 것
Latvian:	(uzmanības) novēršana
Lithuanian:	dėmesio nukreipimas
Norwegian:	avledning, atspredelse
Polish:	odwrócenie uwagi
Portuguese (Brazil):	distração
Portuguese (Portugal):	distracção
Romanian:	diversiune
Russian:	отвлечение внимания
Slovak:	odvrátenie
Slovenian:	odvračanje
Spanish:	distracción
Swedish:	avledande
Turkish:	şaşırtmaca, oyalama

diversion3 [daiˈvəːʃən, (American) -ʒən] noun

(an) amusement

Arabic:	تَسْلِيَه
Chinese (Simplified):	消遣，娱乐
Chinese (Traditional):	消遣，娛樂
Czech:	zábava
Danish:	underholdning; adspredelse
Dutch:	afleiding
Estonian:	meelelahutus
Finnish:	huvi, huvitus
French:	distraction
German:	die Zerstreuung
Greek:	διασκέδαση
Hungarian:	szórakozás
Icelandic:	skemmtun, afþreying
Indonesian:	selingan
Italian:	passatempo

Japanese:	気晴らし
Korean:	우회로
Latvian:	izklaide
Lithuanian:	pramoga
Norwegian:	underholdning, tidsfordriv, forlystelse
Polish:	rozrywka
Portuguese (Brazil):	diversão
Portuguese (Portugal):	diversão
Romanian:	distracţie
Russian:	развлечение
Slovak:	zábava
Slovenian:	zabava
Spanish:	diversión
Swedish:	nöje, förströelse
Turkish:	eğlence

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Diversion

Di*ver"sion\, n. [Cf. F. diversion. See Divert.]

1. The act of turning aside from any course, occupation, or object; as, the diversion of a stream from its channel; diversion of the mind from business.

2. That which diverts; that which turns or draws the mind from care or study, and thus relaxes and amuses; sport; play; pastime; as, the diversions of youth. "Public diversions." --V. Knox.

Such productions of wit and humor as expose vice and folly, furnish useful diversion to readers. --Addison.

3. (Mil.) The act of drawing the attention and force of an enemy from the point where the principal attack is to be made; the attack, alarm, or feint which diverts.

Syn: Amusement; entertainment; pastime; recreation; sport; game; play; solace; merriment.

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