écarter

Écarter is a French verb that translates to several English meanings, primarily related to separating, pushing aside, or averting. Its most common usage involves physically moving something or someone away from a particular spot or group. For example, one might écarter a chair to make space or écarter a crowd to pass through.

Beyond physical action, écarter can also denote discarding or setting aside something that is no longer needed or desired. This can apply to ideas, options, or even people. In a more abstract sense, it can mean to avoid or prevent something from happening, such as écarter un danger (to avert a danger) or écarter un soupçon (to dismiss a suspicion). The verb also carries a connotation of widening or spreading apart, as in écarter les bras (to spread one's arms). The specific meaning is usually determined by the context in which it is used.