deter

Everyday

1. To deter someone is to make them decide not to do something, often by making them afraid of what will happen. tree →
2. To stop or make something less likely, like a smell that deters insects. tree →

In the lessons

Used about safety, rules and nature: signs, fences, cameras and fines deter people from bad acts; some plants deter pests. Phrases: «deter someone from doing something», «deter crime», «not be deterred». It tells the reader why someone did not do something.

Examples

• The big fence deters foxes from getting into the chicken run. tree →
• Cameras are put up to deter shoplifters. tree →
• Rain did not deter us from going to the beach. tree →
• Garlic is said to deter some garden pests. tree →
• The fine is meant to deter people from dropping litter. tree →
• Nothing could deter her from finishing the race. tree →
• The most icy water could not deter him from swimming; he could twist and turn like a fish. tree →

Note

Double the r before -ed and -ing: deterred, deterring. Noun: deterrent; also «deterrence» (formal). Pattern: deter + someone + from + -ing. It is a slightly formal word; everyday talk says «put off» or «stop».