thwart

thwart
thwartedly, adv.thwarter, n.
/thwawrt/, v.t.
1. to oppose successfully; prevent from accomplishing a purpose.
2. to frustrate or baffle (a plan, purpose, etc.).
3. Archaic.
a. to cross.
b. to extend across.
n.
4. a seat across a boat, esp. one used by a rower.
5. a transverse member spreading the gunwales of a canoe or the like.
adj.
6. passing or lying crosswise or across; cross; transverse.
7. perverse; obstinate.
8. adverse; unfavorable.
prep., adv.
9. across; athwart.
[1200-50; ME thwert (adv.) < ON thvert across, neut. of thverr transverse; c. OE thweorh crooked, cross, Goth thwairhs cross, angry]
Syn. 1. hinder, obstruct. THWART, FRUSTRATE, BAFFLE imply preventing one, more or less completely, from accomplishing a purpose. THWART and FRUSTRATE apply to purposes, actions, plans, etc., BAFFLE, to the psychological state of the person thwarted. THWART suggests stopping one by opposing, blocking, or in some way running counter to one's efforts. FRUSTRATE implies rendering all attempts or efforts useless or ineffectual, so that nothing ever comes of them. BAFFLE suggests causing defeat by confusing, puzzling, or perplexing, so that a situation seems too hard a problem to understand or solve.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • thwart — thwart·ed·ly; thwart·er; thwart·ships; thwart; …   English syllables

  • Thwart — Thwart, a. [OE. [thorn]wart, [thorn]wert, a. and adv., Icel. [thorn]vert, neut. of [thorn]verr athwart, transverse, across; akin to AS. [thorn]weorh perverse, transverse, cross, D. dwars, OHG. dwerah, twerh, G. zwerch, quer, Dan. & Sw. tver… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Thwart — Thwart, v. i. 1. To move or go in an oblique or crosswise manner. [R.] [1913 Webster] 2. Hence, to be in opposition; to clash. [R.] [1913 Webster] Any proposition . . . that shall at all thwart with internal oracles. Locke. [1913 Webster] [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Thwart — Thwart, adv. [See {Thwart}, a.] Thwartly; obliquely; transversely; athwart. [Obs.] Milton. [1913 Webster] [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Thwart — Thwart, prep. Across; athwart. Spenser. [1913 Webster] {Thwart ships}. See {Athwart ships}, under {Athwart}. [1913 Webster] [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Thwart — Thwart, n. (Naut.) A seat in an open boat reaching from one side to the other, or athwart the boat. [1913 Webster] [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Thwart — Thwart, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Thwarted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Thwarting}.] 1. To move across or counter to; to cross; as, an arrow thwarts the air. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] Swift as a shooting star In autumn thwarts the night. Milton. [1913 Webster] 2.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • thwart — [θwo:t US θwo:rt] v [T] formal [Date: 1300 1400; Origin: thwart across (13 19 centuries), from Old Norse thvert] to prevent someone from doing what they are trying to do ▪ Fierce opposition thwarted the government s plans. ▪ thwarted ambition …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • thwart´er — thwart «thwrt», verb, noun, adjective, adverb. –v.t. 1. to oppose and defeat; keep from doing something: »The boy s lack of money thwarted his plans for college. SYNONYM(S): baffle, balk, foil. See syn. under frustrate. (Cf. ↑frustrate) 2. to go… …   Useful english dictionary

  • thwart — I verb avert, baffle, balk, bar, blight, bring to naught, check, contravene, counteract, countermine, counterwork, cripple, cross, damp, debar, defeat, foil, forestall, frustrate, hamper, hinder, impede, inhibit, intercept, interfere, interrupt,… …   Law dictionary

  • thwart — foil, *frustrate, baffle, balk, circumvent, outwit Analogous words: *hinder, impede, obstruct, block, bar: defeat, over come, surmount (see CONQUER): check, curb, *restrain: *prevent, forestall, anticipate …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

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