noun
detour
DEE-taw
noun
1
An indirect route taken instead of the direct one.
"We took a detour to avoid the accident on the motorway."
verb
1
To take, or send someone on, an indirect route.
"Roadworks forced drivers to detour through the village."
How to Use Detour
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA roundabout route away from the usual one, often because of a closure.
Common pairings
take a detour
a scenic detour
forced to detour
Word Forms
detoured past tense, detours plural, detours singular
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We took a _____ to avoid the accident on the motorway.
Etymology
From French détour, from détourner ("to turn away").