These words all refer to an intent to alter the actions or plans of another person by means of some kind of persuasion. Discourage suggests an attempt to prevent or repress an action by dulling a person’s enthusiasm for it or by weakening his sense of purpose: the master discouraged the student from enrolling for an extra course because the student was already overworked. Discourage often presents a proposed action in an unfavourable light: I discouraged him from taking a position with that unknown and possibly unreliable insurance company. Discourage may also refer to actual, physical obstacles that make an action difficult if not impossible: low hedges round lawns discourage people from walking on the grass.

Deter is a stronger word than discourage. To deter is to prevent from acting or proceeding by the consideration of danger, difficulty or uncertainty which might counterbalance the motive for action.

• Few penologists believe that the death penalty deters the committing of murder; Fear of the snarling watchdog deterred the salesman from entering the house.

When you dissuade someone from doing something, you try gently to bring him round to your point of view by giving tactful advice or perhaps even by appealing to his better nature. Discourage and deter often involve stronger means of persuasion, even to the extent of browbeating, while dissuade refers to a milder method that is not always as successful.

• When he became furious with his boss, I dissuaded him from rushing in to submit his resignation; Overweight people may be dissuaded from eating too much by friendly reminders that they will both feel and look better after they have lost some weight.

To divert is to turn another person’s mind from one concern or occupation to another. Divert does not involve as much actual persuading as it does distracting the attention and offering an acceptable substitute. If you wish to divert a small child from littering the living-room with his toys, you may suggest to him that it would be fun if he would help you unpack the groceries in the kitchen instead.