Find the word definition

Crossword clues for avouch

The Collaborative International Dictionary
Avouch

Avouch \A*vouch"\, n. Evidence; declaration. [Obs.]

The sensible and true avouch Of mine own eyes.
--Shak.

Avouch

Avouch \A*vouch"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Avouched (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Avouching.] [OF. avochier, LL. advocare to recognize the existence of a thing, to advocate, fr. L. advocare to call to; ad + vocare to call. Cf. Avow to declare, Advocate, and see Vouch, v. t.]

  1. To appeal to; to cite or claim as authority. [Obs.]

    They avouch many successions of authorities.
    --Coke.

  2. To maintain a just or true; to vouch for.

    We might be disposed to question its authenticity, it if were not avouched by the full evidence.
    --Milman.

  3. To declare or assert positively and as matter of fact; to affirm openly.

    If this which he avouches does appear.
    --Shak.

    Such antiquities could have been avouched for the Irish.
    --Spenser.

  4. To acknowledge deliberately; to admit; to confess; to sanction.

    Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God.
    --Deut. xxvi. 17.

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
avouch

late 15c., from Middle French avochier "call upon as authority," in Old French "call (to court), advocate, plead (a case)," from Latin advocare "call to" as a witness (see advocate).\n\nAvouch, which is no longer in common use, means guarantee, solemnly aver, prove by assertion, maintain the truth or existence of, vouch for .... Avow means own publicly to, make no secret of, not shrink from admitting, acknowledge one's responsibility for .... Vouch is now common only in the phrase vouch for, which has taken the place of avouch in ordinary use, & means pledge one's word for ....

[Fowler]

\nRelated: Avouched; avouching.
Wiktionary
avouch

n. (context obsolete English) evidence; declaration vb. 1 To declare freely and openly; to assert. 2 To acknowledge deliberately; to admit; to confess; to sanction. 3 To confirm or verify, to affirm the validity of. 4 To appeal to; to cite or claim as authority.

WordNet
avouch

v. admit openly and bluntly; make no bones about [syn: avow] [ant: disavow]

Usage examples of "avouch".

We do not hear you avouch your own knowledge of this matter, further than your belief resting upon the demeanour of this hound towards the Marquis of Montserrat.

I have won, And now must the faith of my mistress be shown: For she who prompts knights on such danger to run Must avouch his true service in front of the sun.

England--before the Court of Assistants or the Privy Council, I will avouch the deed, even though it should build the steps to a scaffold.

Fair Lady, I dare avouch my faith is bright That God doth right and God hath might.

He even avouched that he had never been more pleased about a wedding than the day his sister married Sedgwick.

Ofttimes, he avouched that I was as much a part of him as his own heart.

Conrade arose boldly to answer, and in despite, as he expressed himself, of man and brute, king or dog, avouched his innocence of the crime charged.

Dismounting before it, each knight avouched the justice of his cause by a solemn oath on the Evangelists, and prayed that his success might be according to the truth or falsehood of what he then swore.

He, of course, avouched his innocence, and offered his body for battle.

The churchyard at Ashford, and the stone cross, from whence diverged the several roads to London, Canterbury, and Ashford, situated midway between the two latter places, served, so tradition avouched, as nocturnal theatres for the unhallowed deeds of the Wulfrics, who thither prowled by moonlight, it was said, to batten on the freshly-buried dead, or drain the blood of any living wight who might be rash enough to venture among those solitary spots.

Dismounting before it, each knight avouched the justice of his cause by a solemn oath on the Evangelists, and prayed that his success might be according to the truth or falsehood of what he then swore.

He, of course, avouched his innocence, and offered his body for battle.

The Princess Alexandra was by no means what tradition avouches, and indeed the only one of the lot who really lived up to expectation was the ill-fated Empress of Mexico.