to dissuade
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to dissuade from
To convince someone to give up a plan, an intention, or an opinion.
Seine Freunde konnten ihn nicht davon abbringen, bei dem Sturm segeln zu gehen.
His friends could not dissuade him from going sailing in the storm.
to lead astray
To cause someone to leave the right path, both literally and figuratively, for example morally or away from a goal.
Lass dich durch kleine Rückschläge nicht von deinem Ziel abbringen.
Don't let small setbacks lead you away from your goal.
'Abbringen' (to dissuade) is a separable verb. The prefix 'ab-' comes at the end in main clauses. In the infinitive with 'zu', 'zu' comes between 'ab' and 'bringen'.
Ich bringe dich von dieser dummen Idee ab!
I'll talk you out of this stupid idea!
The structure is always fixed: you bring 'jemanden' (someone, accusative) 'von etwas' (away from something, dative) ab. The object of persuasion always appears in the dative after the preposition 'von'.
Sie hat ihn von seinem Plan abgebracht.
She talked him out of his plan.
When the action you want to dissuade someone from is described with a verb, you use the structure 'jemanden davon abbringen, etwas zu tun' (to dissuade someone from doing something).
Ich konnte sie davon abbringen, ihren Job zu kündigen.
I was able to dissuade her from quitting her job.
The expression 'jemanden vom Weg abbringen' (to lead someone off the path) can be used literally, meaning to leave a path, or figuratively, in a moral or professional sense. It is often expanded to 'vom rechten Weg abbringen' (to lead someone astray).
Schlechter Umgang hat ihn vom rechten Weg abgebracht.
Bad company led him astray.
to prevent / hold
Both words can mean that someone does not carry out a plan. „Abhalten“ focuses more on preventing the planned action itself. „Abbringen“ is especially appropriate when the person has already made the plan or formed the intention and gives it up after being persuaded.
Seine Freunde brachten ihn von dem bereits geplanten Umzug ab.
His friends dissuaded him from moving, even though he had already planned it.
Der Regen hielt uns davon ab, heute im Park zu joggen.
The rain kept us from jogging in the park today.
