[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

deflect \deflect"\ d-efle^kt", v. t. imp.  p. p.
   deflected; p. pr.  vb. n. deflecting. l. deflectere;
   de- + flectere to bend or turn. see flexible.
   to cause to turn aside; to bend; as, rays of light are often
   deflected; to deflect a punch; to deflect criticism by
   acknowledging a mistake.
   1913 webster +pjc

         sitting with their knees deflected under them. --lord
                                                  1630.
   1913 webster
see also:
deflected deflecting flexible 

[2] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

deflect \deflect"\, v. i.
   to turn aside; to deviate from a right or a horizontal line,
   or from a proper position, course or direction; to swerve.
   1913 webster

         at some part of the azores, the needle deflecteth not,
         but lieth in the true meridian.          --sir t.
                                                  browne.
   1913 webster

         to deflect from the line of truth and reason.
                                                  --warburton.
   1913 webster

[3] : WordNet (r) 2.0

deflect
     v 1: prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening; "let's
          avoid a confrontation"; "head off a confrontation";
          "avert a strike" syn: debar, obviate, avert, head
          off, stave off, fend off, avoid, ward off
     2: turn from a straight course , fixed direction, or line of
        interest syn: bend, turn away
     3: turn aside syn: deviate
     4: draw someone's attention away from something; "the thief
        distracted the bystanders"; "he deflected his competitors"
        syn: distract
     5: impede the movement of an opponent or a ball; "block an
        attack" syn: parry, block
see also:
debar obviate avert head off stave off fend off 
avoid ward off bend turn away deviate 
distract parry block 

[4] : Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

110 moby thesaurus words for "deflect":
   angle, angle off, anticipate, arch, avert, bar, bear off, bend,
   bend back, bias, blunt, bow, change, chill, cool, crook, curl,
   curve, damp, dampen, debar, decurve, deter, deviate, diffract,
   diffuse, disaffect, discourage, dishearten, disincline,
   disinterest, disperse, distort, distract, divagate, diverge,
   divert, dogleg, dome, embow, estop, exclude, fend, fend off, flex,
   forbid, foreclose, forestall, hairpin, help, hold off, hook, hump,
   hunch, incurvate, incurve, indispose, inflect, keep from, keep off,
   loop, oblique, obviate, parry, pivot, preclude, prevent, prohibit,
   pull, put off, quench, recurve, reflect, reflex, refract, repel,
   retroflex, round, rule out, sag, save, scatter, sheer, shy,
   sidetrack, skew, slue, stave off, swag, sway, sweep, swerve,
   switch, turn, turn aside, turn away, turn from, turn off, twist,
   vault, veer, volte-face, ward off, warp, wean from, wheel, whip,
   whirl, wind, zigzag

Deflect >> D Words
Deflect, definition of term: Deflect
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