elude

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing duties, questions, or issues

   They eluded my questions about last night.

2. 2
   verb

   escape, either physically or mentally

   The thief eluded the police

3. 3
   verb

   To evade or escape from (someone or something), especially by using cunning or skill.

   Thus the observation of human blindness and weakness is the result of all philosophy, and meets us at every turn, in spite of our endeavours to elude or avoid it.

4. 4
   verb

   To shake off (a pursuer); to give someone the slip.

   Podolski gave Walcott a chance to further embellish Arsenal's first-half performance when he eluded James Perch and slipped the ball through to the striker.

5. 5
   verb

   To escape being understandable to; to be incomprehensible to.

   I get algebra, but calculus eludes me.

6. 6
   verb

   To escape someone's memory, to slip someone's mind.

   The solution of that brainteaser eludes me and the name of the author eludes my memory too.

7. 7
   verb

   be incomprehensible to

Etymology

From Latin ēlūdō (“to evade, elude”), from ē- (“out of”, short form of ex-) + lūdō (“to play; to trick”).