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Webster 1913 Edition


Avow

A-vow′

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Avowed
([GREEK]);
p. pr. & vb. n.
Avowing
.]
[F.
avouver
, fr. L.
advocare
to call to (whence the meanings, to call upon as superior; recognize as lord, own, confess);
ad
+
vocare
to call. See
Advocate
,
Avouch
.]
1.
To declare openly, as something believed to be right; to own or acknowledge frankly;
as, a man
avows
his principles or his crimes
.
Which I to be the of Israel’s God
Avow
, and challenge Dagon to the test.
Milton.
2.
(Law)
To acknowledge and justify, as an act done. See
Avowry
.
Blackstone.
Syn. – To acknowledge; own; confess. See
Confess
.

A-vow′

,
Noun.
[Cf. F.
aveu
.]
Avowal.
[Obs.]
Dryden.

A-vow′

,
Verb.
T.
&
I.
[OF.
avouer
, fr. LL.
votare
to vow, fr. L.
votun
. See
Vote
,
Noun.
]
To bind, or to devote, by a vow.
[Obs.]
Wyclif.

A-vow′

,
Noun.
A vow or determination.
[Archaic]

Webster 1828 Edition


Avow

AVOW'

,
Verb.
T.
[L. voveo.]
1.
To declare openly, with a view to justify, maintain or defend; or simply to own, acknowledge or confess frankly; as, a man avows his principles or his crimes.
2.
In law, to acknowledge and justify; as when the distrainer of goods defends in an action of replevin, and avows the taking, but insists that such taking was legal.

AVOW'

,
Noun.
A vow or determination. [Not used.]

Definition 2024


avow

avow

English

Verb

avow (third-person singular simple present avows, present participle avowing, simple past and past participle avowed)

  1. (transitive) To declare openly and boldly, as something believed to be right; to own, acknowledge or confess frankly.
    • 1858, Henry Stephens Randall, The Life of Thomas Jefferson (volume 1, page 461)
      [] in 1786, and for some period later, there were few, if any, prominent Americans, who avowed themselves in favor of broadly democratic systems.
  2. (transitive) To bind or devote by a vow.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Wyclif to this entry?)
  3. (law) To acknowledge and justify, as an act done. See avowry.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Blackstone to this entry?)

Antonyms

Related terms

Translations

Noun

avow

  1. (obsolete) avowal
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Dryden to this entry?)