avoid
UK[əˈvɔɪd]US[əˈvɔɪd]
v
To stay away from or keep from happening.
v
To choose not to do or be involved in something.
Etymology
The word 'avoid' entered English in the late 13th century from Anglo-French 'avoider', meaning "to clear out, withdraw, or remove". This Old French term was itself a compound, formed from the phrase 'esvuidier', where 'es-' (a variant of 'ex-', meaning "out") was combined with 'vuidier' (meaning "to empty"). The core sense of emptying out or creating a void evolved into the modern abstract meaning of keeping away from or preventing something, effectively creating an empty space where the unwanted thing is not present. This semantic shift from a physical act of emptying to a metaphorical act of evasion illustrates a common path of meaning evolution.
Analysis
The word is a simplex form borrowed from Anglo-French/Old French. It is not productively segmented into meaningful substrings in modern English spelling.
Examples
He swerved to avoid hitting the deer on the road.
You should avoid sugary drinks for better health.
The contract was carefully worded to avoid any legal ambiguity.