避免...：avoid doing something / something 以免：this is a word which comes from old chinese. 以免 means 以A免B 以：use 免：avoid A is a pronoun, it represents the method that u use. B is the result. for example, 我们应该快点走以免迟到。 the method that u use: 快点走----move fast the result: 迟到---be late 我们（use）move fast to avoid being late. so it becomes 我们 以 快点走（的方法） 避免 迟到。 today, we put 以 and 免, it becomes 以免. And we put "the method that u use" in front of it. so we say 以免 = 避免 but if u want to use 以免，u d better put "a method" in front of it. 你应该努力工作（work hard），以免被开除(be fired)。 so 以免 is a conjunction. we can translate it like: in order to avoid... however, 避免 is exactly the same with "avoid 你应该努力工作（work hard），避免 被开除(be fired)。 we can use 避免 in the same phrase, but in the first phrase, 以免 is a conjunction, whereas in the second phrase, we omit somehing like subject: 你应该努力工作（work hard），（你就可以）避免被开除(be fired)。 so u can see, 避免 is a verb

以免（conjunction):in order to avoid;lest ex:请仔细检查试卷，以免出错。（check your exam paper carefully to avoid mistakes.) 车要停在停车场，以免影响交通。（Cars should be left at parking lots so as not to block the traffic. 避免（verb)avoid;avert ex:避免错误；（avoid mistakes) 他不喜欢那个人，所以尽量避免见面。（He doesn't like that person so he try to avoid meeting him. Differences: 1.以免conjuction 避免verb 2.different usage 以免: 。。。。。。。（clause one）,以免。。。。。。（result） 避免 "（为了）避免。。。。。。。，do sth " or " do sth 避免了sth happen."

以免=“以”+“避免” “以”= so that “避免”=“avioid”

the same meaning. you can say"避免发生一场车祸" or “以免发生一场车祸” both means "to avoid a car accident"

以免 for fear of/for fear that 避免 v. avoid