detour
/ˈdiːtʊə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈdiːtʊr/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈdē-ˌtu̇r also di-ˈtu̇r/ (ame, mw) · /ˈdiː.tɔːr/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈdiː.tʊr/ (ame, ipa)
detour — noun
- detoursingular
- detoursplural
1. a way of getting somewhere that bends away from the normal path so you can miss
a way of getting somewhere that bends away from the normal path so you can miss trouble ahead or stop somewhere before continuing.
We made a detour through the village to buy peaches from a roadside stall.
make a detour through + [place]
Because of the parade, Omar took a detour across the river and reached work late.
take a detour across + [place]
The cyclists chose a detour along the canal to avoid the steep hill ahead.
On our way home, we took a detour to the night market for dumplings.
- diversion
more official, especially on road signs or in traffic reports
- side trip
often chosen for pleasure rather than to avoid a problem
- roundabout route
descriptive phrase that stresses indirectness
- shortcut
saves time or distance instead of adding it
- direct route
goes straight to the destination without leaving the main path
文法句型
take/make + a detour + through/to/around + [place]
a detour around + obstacle
用法筆記
Often follows 'take' or 'make' and is usually followed by a phrase with through, to, or around. Distinguish from sense 2: sense 1 can be chosen for convenience or interest, while sense 2 is the marked substitute route used during a closure.
常見錯誤
2. a temporary route, often marked by signs, that traffic follows when the usual ro
a temporary route, often marked by signs, that traffic follows when the usual road cannot be used.
Flashing arrows guided drivers onto a detour while crews repaired the bridge.
guide drivers onto a detour
The snowstorm forced every bus on the route to follow the same detour.
follow the same detour
A yellow sign warned us that the detour would add fifteen minutes to the trip.
Residents complained that the detour sent heavy trucks past the primary school.
- diversion
common official term in British road notices
- alternate route
neutral phrase for a substitute road
- main road
the usual road that remains open
文法句型
be on/go onto + a detour
follow + the detour
用法筆記
Mostly used for a planned or signposted traffic change after an accident, repair, or closure. Unlike sense 1, travellers do not usually choose this route for pleasure or convenience.
3. a brief move away from the expected plan, activity, or subject before returning
a brief move away from the expected plan, activity, or subject before returning to the main line.
Her lecture took a detour into family history before returning to the budget report.
take a detour into + topic
The meeting made an unexpected detour from hiring plans to office gossip.
detour from X to Y
Midway through the article, there is a detour into the author's childhood in Tainan.
Our road trip included a detour into camping, even though we had packed for hotels.
- digression
more formal and especially common in speech or writing
- tangent
more informal; often suggests a speaker drifting suddenly
- side track
close in meaning but often sounds more conversational
- main line
the central subject or plan that should remain in focus
文法句型
a detour into/from + topic/activity
take + a detour from + plan/subject
用法筆記
Common with 'into' or 'from' to show what the speaker or plan moved toward or away from. It often suggests the side movement is temporary rather than a full change of direction.
常見錯誤
detour — verb
- detourpresent simple I / you / we / they
- detours3rd person singular
- detouring-ing form
- detouredpast simple
1. to travel by another way, or to send people somewhere by another way, so that a
to travel by another way, or to send people somewhere by another way, so that a blockage is avoided or an extra stop can be made.
Police detoured traffic through the industrial park after the lorry overturned.
detour traffic through + [place]
We detoured around the flooded underpass and crossed town by the university.
detour around + obstacle
The tour bus was detoured via the coast so the group could visit the lighthouse.
To miss the morning jam, Gabriela detoured through back streets and arrived on time.
- proceed
continue on the expected route without changing direction
- head straight for
go directly toward a destination with no side route
文法句型
detour + around + obstacle
detour + traffic/someone + through/around + [place]
be detoured onto/via + route
用法筆記
This sense works both intransitively ('we detoured around the flood') and transitively ('police detoured traffic'). A travel or movement context is usually obvious. Distinguish from sense 2: sense 1 changes the path, while sense 2 interrupts progress more generally.
2. to knock a person, plan, or piece of work off its expected progress for a while,
to knock a person, plan, or piece of work off its expected progress for a while, making it wait or change course.
A knee injury detoured Salma's dance training for most of the spring.
[problem] detoured + [plan/activity] + for + [time]
Visa delays detoured the research team's move to Seoul by nearly a semester.
The court dispute detoured construction of the clinic until new permits arrived.
Losing two major clients detoured Hugo's plan to open a second bakery.
文法句型
[problem/setback] + detour + [person/plan/project] + for + [time]
[problem/setback] + detour + [person/plan/project] + until + event
用法筆記
Usually figurative and often takes a setback, delay, or obstacle as the subject. It suggests progress is bent aside temporarily rather than ended completely. Distinguish from sense 1: no physical road or route is required here.
3. to move away from the usual plan or from the main subject, often for a short str
to move away from the usual plan or from the main subject, often for a short stretch before coming back.
Instead of answering directly, the mayor detoured into complaints about the last administration.
detour into + topic
The novel briefly detours into myth before returning to the murder case.
briefly detour into + topic
Our study group detoured from grammar and spent twenty minutes discussing movie soundtracks.
Meera started with the recipe, then detoured into a story about her grandmother's cafe.
- stay on track
keep to the main point or planned course
- stick to
continue with the topic or plan without wandering away
文法句型
detour + into + topic/story
detour + from + subject/plan
用法筆記
Most often followed by 'into' or 'from' when a speaker, text, or plan leaves its main line. The side move is usually temporary. Distinguish from noun sense 3: this is the action of drifting away, not the side path itself.