divert

divert (someone or something) from (someone or something)

To induce someone or something to change course or direct their attention to something else. Try to divert the cars from the main road onto the side street if you can. Good luck diverting the kids away from cartoons so that they'll do their homework. The noisy repairs happening above us constantly diverted my attention from the meeting.

See also: divert

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

divert someone or something from someone or something

to turn someone or something aside or away from someone or something. We could not divert his attention from his mother. I could not divert the woman from her interest in the book.

See also: divert

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.