dodge

UK: /ˈdɒdʒ/ US: /dɑdʒ/ ,(doj)

Inflections of 'dodge' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

dodges

v 3rd person singular

dodging

v pres p

dodged

v past

dodged

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

dodge /dɑdʒ/   v., dodged, dodg•ing, n. 
v. 

1. to move aside suddenly;
   to get out of the way of suddenly: [no object]
   She threw a chair at me but I dodged out of the way.
   [~ + object]
   He managed to dodge most of the rocks thrown at him.
2. to avoid, evade, or elude, esp. by dishonest or unlawful means:
   [~ + object] They accused him of dodging his taxes.

n. [countable]

3. a quick, evasive movement to avoid a blow or the like:
   He managed a quick dodge behind the rocks.
4. a shrewdly clever scheme to escape from something or to deceive:
   She found a new dodge to keep from paying taxes.

dodg•er, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

dodge  (doj), v., dodged, dodg•ing, n. 
v.t. 

1. to elude or evade by a sudden shift of position or by strategy:
   to dodge a blow; to dodge a question.
2. Photography Also, hold back. (in printing) to shade (an area of a print) from exposure for a period, while exposing the remainder of the print in order to lighten or eliminate the area (sometimes fol. by out). Cf. burn ¹ (def. 36).

v.i. 
3. to move aside or change position suddenly, as to avoid a blow or get behind something.
4. to use evasive methods;
   prevaricate:
   When asked a direct question, he dodges.

n. 
5. a quick, evasive movement, as a sudden jump away to avoid a blow or the like.
6. an ingenious expedient or contrivance;
   shifty trick.
7. Slang Terms a business, profession, or occupation.
• of obscure origin, originally 1560–70
Synonyms
• 1. avoid.
• 4. equivocate, quibble.

Dodge  (doj), n. 

1. Biographical Mary Elizabeth, 1831–1905, U.S. editor and author of children's books.

dodge, +n. 

1. Slang Terms a business, profession, or occupation.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

dodge / dɒdʒ/ verb

1. to avoid or attempt to avoid (a blow, discovery, etc), as by moving suddenly
2. to evade (questions, etc) by cleverness or trickery
3. (intransitive) to make a bell change places with its neighbour when sounding in successive changes
4. (transitive) to lighten or darken (selected areas on a print) by manipulating the light from an enlarger

noun

1. a plan or expedient contrived to deceive
2. a sudden evasive or hiding movement
3. a clever contrivance
4. the act of dodging

Etymology: 16th Century: of unknown origin