Emily Dickinson Lexicon

DE-TER', v.t. [L. deterreo; de and terreo, to frighten.]

1. To discourage and stop by fear; to stop or prevent from acting or proceeding, by danger, difficulty, or other consideration which disheartens, or countervails the motive for an act. We are often deterred from our duty by trivial difficulties. The state of the road or a cloudy sky may deter a man from undertaking a journey. A million of frustrated hopes will not deter us from new experiments. – J. M. Mason.
2. To prevent by prohibition or danger. – Mitford.