From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishtake evasive actiontake evasive actionAVOIDto move or do something quickly to avoid someone being hurtBoth pilots took evasive action and a collision was avoided. →evasiveExamples from the Corpustake evasive action• He could neither move to attack nor take evasive action.• He says they picked it up on the radar and had to take evasive action.• If the Nations Air crew had been alerted, it might not have had to take evasive action.• The alarm call stimulates other nearbyblackbirds to take evasive action.• When the currentrecession gripped, they decided to take evasive action.• The militaryexpertstaught her how to take evasive action and speed away from danger.• A party of puffins had to take evasive action as they nearly flew into the side of the ship.• Not bad for a graduate in literature and one who normally took evasive action at the sight of a screwdriver.