The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Avert \A*vert"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Averted; p. pr. & vb. n.
   Averting.] [L. avertere; a, ab + vertere to turn: cf. OF.
   avertir. See Verse, n.]
   To turn aside, or away; as, to avert the eyes from an object;
   to ward off, or prevent, the occurrence or effects of; as,
   how can the danger be averted? "To avert his ire." --Milton.
   [1913 Webster]

         When atheists and profane persons do hear of so many
         discordant and contrary opinions in religion, it doth
         avert them from the church.              --Bacon.
   [1913 Webster]

         Till ardent prayer averts the public woe. --Prior.
   [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Avert \A*vert"\, v. i.
   To turn away. [Archaic]
   [1913 Webster]

         Cold and averting from our neighbor's good. --Thomson.
   [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

avert
    v 1: prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening; "Let's
         avoid a confrontation"; "head off a confrontation"; "avert
         a strike" [syn: debar, forefend, forfend, obviate,
         deflect, avert, head off, stave off, fend off,
         avoid, ward off]
    2: turn away or aside; "They averted their eyes when the King
       entered" [syn: avert, turn away]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

78 Moby Thesaurus words for "avert":
   about-face, anticipate, balk, bar, bear off, check, debar, deflect,
   deter, discourage, dishearten, divert, draw aside, ease off,
   edge off, estop, exclude, face about, fend, fend off, fly off,
   foil, forbid, foreclose, forestall, frustrate, gee, glance,
   glance off, go off, halt, haw, head off, help, jib, keep from,
   keep off, make way for, move aside, obviate, pivot, preclude,
   prevent, prohibit, remove, repel, right-about-face, rule out, save,
   sheer, sheer off, shove aside, shunt, shy, shy off, side, sidestep,
   sidetrack, sidle, stave off, stay, steer clear of, step aside,
   stop, switch, thwart, transfer, turn aside, turn away, turn back,
   veer, veer off, volte-face, ward, ward off, wheel, whip, whirl



V.E.R.A. -- Virtual Entity of Relevant Acronyms (February 2016):

AVERT
       Anti-Virus Emergency Response Team (McAfee)