eschew

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

eschew
    v 1: avoid and stay away from deliberately; stay clear of [syn:
         {shun}, {eschew}]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Eschew \Es*chew"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Eshewed}; p. pr. & vb.
   n. {Eshewing}.] [OF. eschever, eschiver, eskiver, F.
   esquiver, fr. OHG. sciuhen, G. scheuen; akin to E. sky. See
   {Shy}, a.]
   1. To shun; to avoid, as something wrong, or from a feeling
      of distaste; to keep one's self clear of.
      [1913 Webster]

            They must not only eschew evil, but do good. --Bp.
                                                  Beveridge.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To escape from; to avoid. [Obs.]
      [1913 Webster]

            He who obeys, destruction shall eschew. --Sandys.
      [1913 Webster]

from Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary

Eschew
from old French eschever, "to flee from" (Job 1:1, 8; 2:3; 1
Pet. 3:11).

from Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

28 Moby Thesaurus words for "eschew":
      abstain, abstain from, avoid, bilk, do without, double, duck,
      elude, evade, forbear, forgo, hold aloof from, hold back,
      keep from, let alone, let go by, never touch, not touch, pass up,
      refrain, refrain from, sacrifice, shun, shy, spare,
      stand aloof from, steer clear of, withhold