This is the 1984th most frequent Portuguese word.
afastar
To move away, remove, or distance.
In this sentence, 'afastar' means to physically move something or someone away.
Ele tentou afastar o cachorro irritado.
He tried to move away the angry dog.
Here, 'afastar' indicates creating a distance between oneself and an activity or environment.
Ela decidiu se afastar do trabalho por alguns meses.
She decided to distance herself from work for a few months.
In this context, 'afastar' is used metaphorically to mean avoiding abstract or non-physical aspects.