From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishldoce_324_cswerveswerve /swɜːv $ swɜːrv/ verb [intransitive] 1 TURNto make a sudden sideways movement while moving forwards, usually in order to avoid hitting somethingswerve violently/sharply The car swerved sharply to avoid the dog.swerve across/off/into etc The bus swerved off the road.2 [usually in negatives] formalCHANGE FROM ONE THING TO ANOTHER to change from an idea, course of action, purpose etcswerve from He would never swerve from the truth. —swerve noun [countable]→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
swerve• In the discus-throwing when his turn came and he hurled the heavy missile, it swerved and fell among the spectators.• Cars are wet as they drive by, swerving dangerously.• Dozens were injured when a passenger bus swerved into the wrong lane and slammed into another bus.• Instead of swerving right, I swerved left, barreling straight into him with the fender.• Unless we swerve soon, we will drown.• Quick as she was, Feargal was quicker and swerved swiftly to one side.• The driver swerved to avoid a child, and crashed into a signpost.• I swerved to avoid a solitary drunk who dreamily crossed the road backwards.• She swerved to avoid the cyclist.• It was a great wordless whoop that echoed round the Castle, and Ruth saw all the spears swerve towards them.swerve across/off/into etc• We swerved into a gas station on the corner and started to do figure-eights around the pumps.• He kept it rolling and swerved off at the first exit on the right.• At the last moment the two leading horses refused to jump it and so swerved into oncoming runners.• It swerved off the road; killed three of the children; and badly injured Anne Maguire.• He swerved off the track and into the gravel trap backwards, praying he wouldn't clout the wall.• He gunned the engine and swerved into traffic, tires squealing.• In an extreme case, she guided one middle manager who was going through mid-life swerve into working at a zoo.swerve from• McLaren would never swerve from the truth.Origin swerve Old English sweorfan “to wipe, put away” 