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ata in stone, slate, etc. Knots, by the conflux of meeting sap, Infect the sound pine and divert his grain Tortive and errant from his course of growth. Shak.

Professional cant; the chatter of conjurers to divert attention from their tricks; hence, jugglery. [Colloq.]

A buffoon, dressed in party-colored clothes, who plays tricks, often without speaking, to divert the bystanders or an audience; a merry-andrew; originally, a droll rogue of Italian comedy. Percy Smith. As dumb harlequin is exhibited in our theaters. Johnson. Harlequin bat (Zoöl.), an Indian bat (Scotophilus ornatus), c…

To divert; to convert to a wrong use. [Obs.] Knolles.

To turn or divert improperly; to misdirect. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.

The act of perverting, or the state of being perverted; a turning from truth or right; a diverting from the true intent or object; a change to something worse; a turning or applying to a wrong end or use. "Violations and perversions of the laws." Bacon.

To turnanother way; to divert. [Obs.] Let's follow him, and pervert the present wrath. Shak.

ush; -- nearly obsolete, except with adverbs, as with by (to put by = to thrust aside; to divert); or with forth (to put forth = to thrust out). His chief designs are . . . to put thee by from thy spiritual employment. Jer. Taylor.

o revive; especially, to refresh after wearying toil or anxiety; to relieve; to cheer; to divert; to amuse; to gratify. Painters, when they work on white grounds, place before them colors mixed with blue and green, to recreate their eyes, white wearying . . . the sight more than any. Dryden. St. John, who recreated him…

iving new vigor or animation; reinvigorating; giving relief after labor or pain; amusing; diverting. Let the music of them be recreative. Bacon. --- Rec"re*a`tive*ly, adv. -- Rec"re*a`tive*ness, n.

Hence, to relieve from attention or effort; to ease; to recreate; to divert; as, amusement relaxes the mind.

bounds. This is to have the same restriction with all other recreations,that it be made a divertisement. Giv. of Tonque.

The act of turning or diverting any disease from one part of the body to another. It resembles derivation, but is usually applied to a more active form of counter irritation.

The power of smelling; the sense of smell; as, a hound of nice scent; to divert the scent. I. Watts.

Hence, fig., to divert or reduce to a position or condition that is relatively secondary or subordinate in activity, importance, effectiveness, or the like; to switch off; to turn aside, as from a purpose. [Colloq.]

an, surgeon, mechanic, etc. Phocion, . . . by his great wisdom and skill at negotiations, diverted Alexander from the conquest of Athens. Swift. Where patience her sweet skill imparts. Keble.

That which diverts, and makes mirth; pastime; amusement. It is as sport a fool do mischief. prov. x. 23. Her sports were such as carried riches of knowledge upon the stream of delight. Sir P. Sidney. Think it but a minute spent in sport. Shak.

Steady in purpose; constant; firm in resolution; not easily diverted from a purpose; not fickle or wavering; as, a man of stable character. And to her husband ever meek and stable. Chaucer.

A shoot from the roots or lower part of the stem of a plant; -- so called, perhaps, from diverting nourishment from the body of the plant.

To change from a given use or office; to divert, as to another purpose or end; to transfer; to use or employ; to apply; to devote. Therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David. 1 Chron. x. 14. God will make these evils the occasion of a greater good, by turning them to advantage in this world. Tillotson. Wh…