evasive action

English

Noun

evasive action (usually uncountable, plural evasive actions)

1. Physical movement performed in order to avoid a collision with something (such as a vehicle or missile).
   • 2021 March 10, Drachinifel, 5:50 from the start, in Guadalcanal Campaign - The Big Night Battle: Night 1 (IJN 3(?) : 2 USN)‎^[1], archived from the original on 17 October 2022:

     The attack also afforded Helena to a front-seat view of literal air-to-air melee combat, as one Wildcat pilot of the Cactus Air Force, who was swooping in to help break up the attack, found himself out of machine-gun ammo; instead, he dropped his landing gear, positioned himself above the nearest bomber, and begun beating it to death, in midair, using his landing gear as clubs. After a bit of evasive action that the fighter easily kept up with, the repeated slamming broke something important, and the bomber spiralled down into the sea.

Usage notes

Usually refers to movement performed by a vehicle of some kind (either crewed or uncrewed, but usually crewed), rather than by a person not within a vehicle.

Synonyms

• dodge