To support, countenance, maintain, uphold, or aid (any good cause, opinion, or action); to maintain.
To incite; to assist or encourage by aid or countenance in crime.
To divert (attention, etc.).
To touch the ball, often unwittingly, after a shot or a sharp pass, thereby making it unpredictable for the other players.
To make (something) deviate from its original path.
To avoid addressing (questions, criticism, etc.).
To deviate from its original path.