1. To discourage or to restrain someone from taking action or to prevent something from happening; especially, by making a person feel afraid or anxious: The government hoped that the new law would deter advertisers from making false claims about their products.
2. To prevent, to check, to stop; to block or to bring to a standstill: Jim's father was determined to deter his son from driving during the storm.
3. Etymology: from Latin deterrere, "to frighten from, to discourage from"; composed of de-, "away" + terrere, "to frighten". © ALL rights are reserved.

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