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detour

Pronunciation: /ˈdiːtʊə/
Translate detour | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of detour

noun

  • a long or roundabout route that is taken to avoid something or to visit somewhere along the way:he had made a detour to a cafe
  • an alternative route for use by traffic when the usual road is temporarily closed.

verb

[no object, with adverbial of direction] chiefly North American
  • take a long or roundabout route:he detoured around the walls
  • [with object] avoid by taking a detour:I would detour the endless stream of motor homes

Origin:

mid 18th century (as a noun): from French détour 'change of direction', from détourner 'turn away'

detour in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of detour in the US English dictionary
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