*avow*

n. [ Cf. F. aveu. ] Avowal. [ Obs. ] Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. & i. [ OF. avouer, fr. LL. votare to vow, fr. L. votun. See Vote, n. ] To bind, or to devote, by a vow. [ Obs. ] Wyclif. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A vow or determination. [ Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being avowed, or openly acknowledged, with confidence. Donne. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An open declaration; frank acknowledgment; as, an avowal of such principles. Hume. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. Act of avowing; avowal. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Upholding; defense; vindication. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Can my avowance of king-murdering be collected from anything here written by me? Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Law) The defendant in replevin, who avows the distress of the goods, and justifies the taking. Cowell. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Openly acknowledged or declared; admitted. -- A*vow"ed*ly adv. [1913 Webster]

n. [ F. avoué. Cf. Advowee, Advocate, n. ] The person who has a right to present to a benefice; the patron; an advowee. See Advowson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who avows or asserts. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. avouerie protection, authority, OF. avouerie. See Avow to declare. ] 1. An advocate; a patron; a patron saint. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Let God alone be our avowry. Latimer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The act of the distrainer of goods, who, in an action of replevin, avows and justifies the taking in his own right. Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ When an action of replevin is brought, the distrainer either makes avowry, that is, avours taking the distress in his own right, or the right of his wife, and states the reason if it, as for arrears of rent, damage done, or the like; or makes cognizance, that is, acknowledges the taking, but justifies in an another's right, as his bailiff or servant. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. Adultery. See Advoutry. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Disavowed p. pr. & vb. n. Disavowing. ] [ F. désavouer; pref. dés- (L. dis-) + avouer to avow. See Avow, and cf. Disavouch. ] 1. To refuse strongly and solemnly to own or acknowledge; to deny responsibility for, approbation of, and the like; to disclaim; to disown; as, he was charged with embezzlement, but he disavows the crime. [ 1913 Webster ]

A solemn promise made and disavowed. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To deny; to show the contrary of; to disprove. [ 1913 Webster ]

Yet can they never
Toss into air the freedom of my birth,
Or disavow my blood Plantagenet's. Ford. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. able to be disavowed. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. The act of disavowing, disclaiming, or disowning; rejection and denial. [ 1913 Webster ]

An earnest disavowal of fear often proceeds from fear. Richardson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Disavowal. [ Obs. ] South. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who disavows. [ 1913 Webster ]