AVERSE
antipathetic, antipathetical, averse, indisposed, loath, loth
(adjective) (usually followed by âtoâ) strongly opposed; âantipathetic to new ideasâ; âaverse to taking risksâ; âloath to go on such short noticeâ; âclearly indisposed to grant their requestâ
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Adjective
averse (comparative more averse, superlative most averse)
Having a repugnance or opposition of mind.
Synonyms: disliking, disinclined, fromward, unwilling, reluctant, loath
Turned away or backward.
(obsolete) Lying on the opposite side (to or from).
(heraldry) Turned so as to show the back, as of a right hand.
Usage notes
• The terms adverse and averse are sometimes confused, though their meanings are somewhat different. Adverse most often refers to things, denoting something that is in opposition to someone's interests â something one might refer to as an adversity or adversary â (adverse winds; an attitude adverse to our ideals). Averse usually refers to people, and implies one has a distaste, disinclination, or aversion toward something (a leader averse to war; an investor averse to risk taking). Averse is most often used with "to" in a construction like "I am averse toâŠ". Adverse shows up less often in this type of construction, describing a person instead of a thing, and should carry a meaning of "actively opposed to" rather than "has an aversion to".
• Averse from is an older form, corresponding to the modern averse to.
Verb
averse (third-person singular simple present averses, present participle aversing, simple past and past participle aversed)
(transitive, obsolete, rare) To turn away.
Anagrams
• Reaves, Seaver, Varese, as ever, re-save, reaves, resave
Source: Wiktionary
A*verse", a. Etym: [L. aversus, p. p. of avertere. See Avert.]
1. Turned away or backward. [Obs.]
The tracks averse a lying notice gave, And led the searcher backward
from the cave. Dryden.
2. Having a repugnance or opposition of mind; disliking; disinclined;
unwilling; reluctant.
Averse alike to flatter, or offend. Pope.
Men who were averse to the life of camps. Macaulay.
Pass by securely as men averse from war. Micah ii. 8.
Note: The prevailing usage now is to employ to after averse and its
derivatives rather than from, as was formerly the usage. In this the
word is in agreement with its kindred terms, hatred, dislike,
dissimilar, contrary, repugnant, etc., expressing a relation or an
affection of the mind to an object.
Syn.
– Averse, Reluctant, Adverse. Averse expresses an habitual, though
not of necessity a very strong, dislike; as, averse to active
pursuits; averse to study. Reluctant, a term of the of the will,
implies an internal struggle as to making some sacrifice of interest
or feeling; as, reluctant to yield; reluctant to make the necessary
arrangements; a reluctant will or consent. Adverse denotes active
opposition or hostility; as, adverse interests; adverse feelings,
plans, or movements; the adverse party.
A*verse", v. t. & i.
Definition: To turn away. [Obs.] B. Jonson.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition