Emily Dickinson Lexicon

A-VOID', v.t. [Fr. vuider, or vider; vuide, void, empty; Eng. wide, void, widow; L. vidua. See Void. It coincides also with L. vito, evito; Fr. eviter. See Class Bd.]

1. To shun; to keep at a distance from; that is, literally, to go or be wide from; as, to avoid the company of gamesters.
2. To shift off, or clear off; as, to avoid expense.
3. To quit; to evacuate; to shun by leaving; as, to avoid the house.
4. To escape; as, to avoid danger. – Shak.
5. To emit or throw out; as, to avoid excretions. For this, void is now generally used.
6. To make void; to annul or vacate. The grant can not be avoided without injustice to the grantee. – Anon.
7. In pleading, to set up some new matter or distinction, which shall avoid, that is, defeat or evade the allegation of the other party. Thus, in a replication, the plaintif may deny the defendant's plea, or confess it, and avoid it by stating new matter. – Blackstone.