ward off

About 2.01 uses per million words.

Meaning

1. verb To parry, or turn aside.

   He raised his arms to ward off the attack.

2. verb To, while in possession of the ball, move the free hand or the hand and arm holding the butt end of the stick laterally into a defending player's body or stick.
3. verb To avert or prevent.

   He wore garlic to ward off vampires.

Similar words

avert stave off head off obviate debar avoid fend off deflect parry ward

Word family

warded off warding off wards off