detour

de·tour (dē′to̵or′; also dē to̵or′, di-)

noun

Etymology: Fr détour, a turning, evasion < détourner, to turn aside < OFr destourner < des- (L dis-), away + tourner: see turn

intransitive verb

to go by way of a detour

transitive verb

alternate route, temporary route, circuitous route, bypass, byway, bypath, back road, service road, alternate highway, secondary highway, indirect way, circuit, deviation, digression, roundabout way; see also road 1.

Antonyms highway*, direct route, main road.

Converse of object

take: Aside On my way here today I took a detour by Baker Street to pay homage to Sherlock Holmes.
make: You may like to make a short detour to look around the village.
avoid: Ferry Ferries are used across rivers and estuaries, usually where there were no bridges, to avoid considerable detours.
involve: This involved a detour into North Wales to return some kit that Rob had left on the boat.
mean: We managed to take a wrong turning which meant an unnecessary detour, with every light seeming to work against us.
require: To the south would require a long detour through Downham Market.

Preposition: into

history: In so doing we shall begin by making a slight detour into Russian history and the revolutionary democratic approach of the Bolsheviks.

Adjective modifier

slight: Little Warden's control tower A slight detour led us to the site of Little Walden, near Saffron Walden.
unplanned: After making an unplanned detour of my own I was happy to get to the finish with just a sore foot.
lengthy: Had the river been in spate, they would have had to make a lengthy detour.
short: You may like to make a short detour to look around the village.
brief: As we retreat back into space we make a brief detour to view Triton, Neptune's largest moon.
unexpected: The week started with an unexpected detour to Tenerife.

Preposition: on

way: Well worth a detour on the way to the shops.
road: The Way detours east on the road to cross under the motorway and skirt an industrial area.

Modifies a noun

round: Often all that was left were heaps of stone and bricks, the main road often obliterated so we had to detour round them.

Preposition: off

route: The Fox and Goose Inn at Armscote - originally two cottages and the blacksmith's forge is a tasty detour off the main route.

Preposition: from

route: It is a short detour from the routes of walks 24 Pumlumon Fawr & 25 Plynlimon & Three Sources.

Noun used with modifier

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