Redirect

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To change the direction or focus of something toward a different destination, purpose, or target
2. To alter the intended path or aim of an object or person to another location, goal, or objective
3. To shift the course or attention of a system, individual, or message toward an alternate point, target, or purpose

Etymology: "Redirect" is about as transparent as English compounds get: the prefix "re-", meaning "again" or "back", attached to "direct," which comes from Latin "directus," the past participle of "dirigere," meaning "to arrange in a straight line" or "to guide." Put together, the word means to guide something back onto a course, or onto a new one. The verb's sense has widened over time. Its core idea is still a line being aimed: a letter, a phone call, or a stream of traffic is steered to a new endpoint. That same logic explains its everyday uses, such as a web browser sending you from one address to another, or an organization shifting funds from one project to a different one.

Synonyms: re-route, change direction

Antonyms: direct, guide