Also 7 avertion. [(? a. F. aversion, 16th c. in Littré) ad. L. āversiōn-em, n. of action f. āvers-: see AVERSE and -ION.]
† 1. The action of turning away oneself, one’s eyes, etc.; spec. in Rhet. (as in L.) = APOSTROPHE1 1.
1611. Speed, Hist. Gt. Brit., IX. xii. (1632), 691. Which auersion or defection [of the Scots] was augmented vpon private quarrels.
1656. Du Gard, Gate Lat. Unl., § 687. An Aversion or Apostrophe, wherein the speech is turned from the hearers to somthing els.
1668. Howe, Bless. Righteous (1825), 167. Nor permits the aversion of the beholder’s eye.
† 2. The action of averting, warding off, or getting rid of. Obs.
1664. Evelyn, Silva (1776), 417. Whatever is Exitial to Men is so to trees; for the Avertion of which they had, of old, recourse to the Robigalia.
1684. trans. Bonet’s Merc. Compit., XIV. 504. The Humours … are to be purged in the beginning, at which time aversion is the most desired.
† 3. A moral turning of oneself away, estrangement (from). Obs.
1596. Bell, Surv. Popery, III. v. 281. Which is an auersion from God of infinite maiestie.
1691. Norris, Pract. Disc., 307. Sin … is an Aversion from God.
4. An averted state of mind or feelings; a mental attitude of opposition or repugnance; a fixed, habitual dislike; an antipathy.
1651. Hobbes, Gov. & Soc., iii. § 31. 55. Good and Evill are names given to things to signefie the inclination, or aversion of them by whom they were given.
1713. Steele, English., No. 52. 332. There are among Brute Creatures many natural Aversions and Antipathies.
1855. Prescott, Philip II., I. II. vi. 204. Coldness and silence intimated too plainly the aversion of the inhabitants.
b. Const. (towards, against, obs.), from, to (for), infin. See AVERSE 4 b.
1622. Bacon, Hen. VII., 16 (J.). His auersion towards the House of Yorke was so predominant in him.
1690. Locke, Hum. Und., I. iii. (1695), 16. Nature … has put into Man a desire of Happiness, and an aversion to Misery.
1712. Addison, Spect., No. 538, ¶ 3. An unconquerable aversion which some stomachs have against a joint of meat.
1759. Dilworth, Pope, 85. Having no aversion to go by different names, she was called Sapho.
1771. Junius Lett., xlii. 224. The king of France’s present aversion from war.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., IV. 34. One for whom William felt an intense personal aversion.
1878. Simpson, Sch. Shaks., I. 96. Philip’s aversion to pirates.
5. transf. of things.
c. 1800[?]. trans. Fourcroy (Webster). Magnesia, notwithstanding this aversion to solution, forms a kind of paste with water.
6. An object of dislike or repugnance.
1678. Wycherley, Pl. Dealer, II. i. 15. For, if anything be a Womans Aversion, ’tis Plain-dealing from another Woman.
1732. Fielding, Miser, I. i. Wks. 1784, II. 385. Mrs. Susan Crossstitch, whom you know to be my utter aversion.
1821. Byron, Juan, III. xciv. A drowsy frowsy poem call’d ‘The Excursion,’ Writ in a manner which is my aversion.
