First Known Use: 1667
Dictionary
elude
verb \ē-ˈlüd\
: to avoid or escape (someone or something) by being quick, skillful, or clever
: to fail to be understood or remembered by (someone)
: to fail to be achieved by (someone)
elud·edelud·ing
Full Definition of ELUDE
transitive verb
1
: to avoid adroitly : evade <the mice eluded the traps> <managed to elude capture>
2
: to escape the perception, understanding, or grasp of <subtlety simply eludes them> <victory continued to elude us>
3
: defy 4 <it eludes explanation>
See elude defined for English-language learners
See elude defined for kids
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Origin of ELUDE
Latin eludere, from e- + ludere to play — more at ludicrous
Related to ELUDE
- Synonyms
- avoid, dodge, duck, escape, eschew, evade, finesse, get around, scape, shake, shirk, shuffle (out of), shun, weasel (out of)
Synonym Discussion of ELUDE
escape, avoid, evade, elude, shun, eschew mean to get away or keep away from something. escape stresses the fact of getting away or being passed by not necessarily through effort or by conscious intent <nothing escapes her sharp eyes>. avoid stresses forethought and caution in keeping clear of danger or difficulty <try to avoid past errors>. evade implies adroitness, ingenuity, or lack of scruple in escaping or avoiding <evaded the question by changing the subject>. elude implies a slippery or baffling quality in the person or thing that escapes <what she sees in him eludes me>. shun often implies an avoiding as a matter of habitual practice or policy and may imply repugnance or abhorrence <you have shunned your responsibilities>. eschew implies an avoiding or abstaining from as unwise or distasteful <a playwright who eschews melodrama>.
ELUDING Defined for Kids
elude
verb \i-ˈlüd\
elud·edelud·ing
Definition of ELUDE for Kids
: to avoid or escape by being quick, skillful, or tricky
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