小词详解 | deviate

deviate 英 [ˈdiːvieɪt] 美 [ˈdiːvieɪt]

考研 CET6 SAT TEM8 GRE

外刊例句

• Since stock prices tend to revert to a mean value, they must be somewhat predictable. They deviate from this fair value only because investors over-react to news.
  股价总是趋于回归到平均值，所以它们在某种程度上一定是可预测的。股票偏离公允价值只是因为投资者对新消息反应过度。
  ——《经济学人》
• Each job paid more than the last and had more responsibility, but rarely deviated from the same basic field.
  每份工作都比上一份薪酬高、权责大，但几乎不会偏离基本领域。
  ——《纽约时报》

基本释义

[verb] depart from an established course
[动词] 偏离既定路线

深入解读

昨天小站在 小词详解 | viable 中讲到该词与 via 貌似神离，而今天的 deviate 则恰恰相反，是一个与 via 同词根 vi(a), vey, voy （道路）的单词。

Deviate 一词源自拉丁语 deviare （转到一边、偏离路线），17世纪30年代进入英语后也是指“转向一边或者偏离正确的路线”，比如：

• 因为道路封闭，公共汽车只得全速绕道而行。
  The bus had to deviate from its usual route at full throttle because of a road closure.
• 这条小路紧挨着河，只是在遇到树林时才偶尔偏离一下。你应该很容易在黑暗中认出它来。
  The path follows the river closely, occasionally deviating around a clump of trees. It should be easy for you to discern it in the dark.

不过现在更多的是用来引申指“背离、偏离、违背”习惯的、既定的或规定的行为或规则，指人时则强调思想、道德或行为等偏离了社会规范，常用搭配 deviate from sth ，比如：

• 近来的恶劣天气状况与往年同期相比有些异常。
  The recent pattern of vicious weather deviates from the norm for this time of year.
• 他一早就认为军事革命是必要的，并且从未背离过这一思想路线。但作为一个严肃审慎的人，他尽力避免说出任何会进一步牵连他的事情。
  From very early on he believed a military revolution was necessary and he has never deviated from that ideological path. But as a sedate, sober man, he tried to avoid saying anything that would implicate him further.

名著用例

Rhett never deviated from his smooth, imperturbable manners, even in their most intimate moments.
瑞德一向是不超出举止圆滑稳重这一常规，就连他们最亲密的时候也是如此。

出自美国作家玛格丽特·米切尔（Margaret Mitchell）创作的长篇小说《飘》（Gone with the Wind）。该小说在1937年获得普利策奖，是玛格丽特·米切尔在世时出版的唯一一部作品。不但它成为美国史上最为畅销的小说之一，而且由这部小说所改编的同名电影《乱世佳人》也成为影史上不朽的经典。

同近义词

• diverge: deviate from a set course or standard
• digress: leave the main subject temporarily in speech or writing
• stray: move away aimlessly from a group or from the right course or place

往期回顾