Advert

v.; also 4–6 auerte, avert(e. [a. Fr. avert-ir:—late L. advertā-re for cl. L. advertĕre to turn to, also (sc. animum) to turn the attention of oneself or another to, to remark, admonish; f. ad to + vertĕre to turn. L. āvertere to turn away, AVERT, also made OFr. avertir, which had thus all the senses ‘turn to, turn away, remark, call attention.’ In 14–16th c. avertir, when answering to L. advertere, was often written advertir; and, since Caxton, advert and avert have been distinguished in Eng. Mod. Fr. has avertir (Palsg. and Cotgr. advertir) only in the sense of ‘call the attention of another, admonish’ (one of the senses of L. advertere). The lengthened stem of this, a(d)vertiss-, has given Eng. ADVERTISE, orig. a synonym of advert, but subseq. differentiated, so that advert retains the sense of ‘turn one’s own attention,’ advertise that of ‘direct the attention of others.’ Advert, advertise, avert, are thus all immediately from OFr. avertir, avertiss-ant.]

  † 1.  trans. To turn towards (lit. or fig.); to turn favorably. Obs. rare.

a. 1423.  James I., King’s Quair, II. vi. Till Jupiter his merci list advert And send comfort.

c. 1430.  Lydg., Bochas, II. xxviii. (1554), 64 a. Beastes which ben rage of theyr nature He can aduert and make them lye full styll.

  2.  intr. To turn one’s attention; to take notice, take heed, attend, pay attention. (L. animum advertere.) Const. to (absol., subord. cl., on obs.). arch. = ADVERTISE 1.

1430.  Lydg., Chron. Troy, I. ii. In so slye wyse that no man myght auerte Upon no syde but that he mente well.

1509.  Barclay, Ship of Fooles (1570), 42. Thinking that God doth not therto aduert.

1530.  Palsgr., 440. Nowe, my yonge chyldren, if you wyl avert, you shal have the frenche tonge moch more easely than men had afore your dayes.

a. 1535.  W. de Worde, Communycacyon, B iij. Lorde whan I on thy pouerte aduerte.

1557.  Barclay, Jugurthe (Paynell), b ij. b. Micipsa aduertynge that Jugurth was redy of hande to strike.

1755.  B. Martin, Mag. Arts & Sc., 328. We shall find it our Interest to advert on the different Degrees of the Moisture and Dryness of the Air.

1790.  Boswell, Johnson (1816), IV. 133. They do not advert that the great body of the Christian Church … maintain also the Unity of the Godhead.

1806.  Wellington, in Wellesley Desp., 92. The British government were compelled to advert to the means of strengthening the government of the Nizam.

1875.  Poste, Gaius (ed. 2), Introd. 14. Negligence is inadvertence to consequences to which a man might have adverted.

  3.  esp. To turn one’s attention in a discourse written or spoken; to refer to.

1777.  Priestley, Phil. Necess., 179. I shall now advert to some other matters.

1798.  Ferriar, Illustr. Sterne, vi. 172. Mauriceau adverts to the circumstance, in his attack on the Cæsarian operation.

1861.  May, Constit. Hist. Eng. (1863), I. iii. 169. The king’s illness was adverted to in the House of Commons.

  † 4.  trans. To turn the attention to, attend to, take note of; to observe, note, notice, or heed; to consider, think of (a thing). Obs. = ADVERTISE 2.

1430.  Lydg., Chron. Troy, I. iii. He nought advertith the menyng fraudulent.

1432–50.  trans. Higden, Rolls Ser. I. 361. Hit is to be aduertede that the extremites of the worlde schyne in newe wondres.

1470.  Harding, Chron., civ. Egberte … was royally accepte, With all honour y^t [the lordes could] aduert.

1557.  Barclay, Jugurthe (Paynell), a iij. b. Yf we aduert the worlde as it is.

1655.  Sanderson, Serm., II. Pref. Frailties and infirmities … not hitherto by them adverted, because never suspected.

1692.  Wagstaffe, Vind. Carol., Introd. 12. If he had any fault, it was his not timely adverting his Father’s dear bought experience.

  † 5.  trans. To turn the attention of another to, to give warning of. Obs. rare. See ADVERTISE 5.

1513.  Douglas, Æneis, III. x. 113. Quhen horrybil thingis sere he dyd aduert.

  ¶  Incorrectly for AVERT. [See above.]

1578.  Ps. li. in Sc. Poems of 16th c., II. 115. Fra my sinnes advert thy face.