elude
    v 1: escape, either physically or mentally; "The thief eluded
         the police"; "This difficult idea seems to evade her"; "The
         event evades explanation" [syn: elude, evade, bilk]
    2: be incomprehensible to; escape understanding by; "What you
       are seeing in him eludes me" [syn: elude, escape]
    3: avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing
       (duties, questions, or issues); "He dodged the issue"; "she
       skirted the problem"; "They tend to evade their
       responsibilities"; "he evaded the questions skillfully" [syn:
       hedge, fudge, evade, put off, circumvent, parry,
       elude, skirt, dodge, duck, sidestep]

Elude \E*lude"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Eluded; p. pr. & vb. n.
   Eluding.] [L. eludere, elusum; e + ludere to play: cf. F.
   ['e]luder. See Ludicrous.]
   To avoid slyly, by artifice, stratagem, or dexterity; to
   escape from in a covert manner; to mock by an unexpected
   escape; to baffle; as, to elude an officer; to elude
   detection, inquiry, search, comprehension; to elude the force
   of an argument or a blow.
   [1913 Webster]

         Me gentle Delia beckons from the plain,
         Then, hid in shades, eludes he eager swain. --Pope.
   [1913 Webster]

         The transition from fetichism to polytheism seems a
         gradual process of which the stages elude close
         definition.                              --Tylor.

   Syn: To evade; avoid; escape; shun; eschew; flee; mock;
        baffle; frustrate; foil.
        [1913 Webster]