Definitions for "deflect"
draw someone's attention away from something; "The thief distracted the bystanders"; "He deflected his competitors"
To cause to turn aside; to bend; as, rays of light are often deflected; to deflect a punch; to deflect criticism by acknowledging a mistake.
Bend or twist under load.
To bend or deform under weight.
prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening; "Let's avoid a confrontation"; "head off a confrontation"; "avert a strike"
Keywords:  swerve, course, deviate, turn, proper
To turn aside; to deviate from a right or a horizontal line, or from a proper position, course or direction; to swerve.
turn from a straight course, fixed direction, or line of interest
Forensics]. Changing the direction in which an object is moving on impact with a surface.
impede the movement of (an opponent or a ball); "block an attack"
To cause a piece to move to a less suitable square. Typically used in the context of a combination or attack, where the deflected piece is critical to the defense.
To compress, usually by a specified amount or percentage.