meiden
Translation
to avoid, to shun, to steer clear of
Examples
Er meidet öffentliche Verkehrsmittel.
He avoids public transportation.
Sie meidet den Kontakt zu ihm.
She avoids contact with him.
Grammar Patterns
((sb./sth.)) meiden to avoid (sb./sth.) Sie meidet den Kontakt zu ihm.
Similar Words
Synonyms: vermeiden, aus dem Weg gehen (to get out of the way of); Antonyms: suchen (to seek), aufsuchen (to look up)
Etymology
From Old High German 'mīdan'. Not directly related to English 'avoid' but shares a similar meaning.
Memory Tips
The sound 'meid-' is a bit like 'hide'. Imagine you 'hide-n' from something you want to avoid.