Avocation, a-vo-kā′shun, n. formerly and properly, a diversion or distraction from one's regular employment—now, one's proper business = Vocation: business which calls for one's time and attention: (arch.) diversion of the thoughts from any employment: the calling of a case from an inferior to a superior court. [Through Fr. from avocation-em, a calling away—ab, from, vocāre, to call.]
Avocet, Avoset, av′o-set, n. a widely spread genus of birds, with webbed feet, long legs, bare thighs, a long, slender, upward-curved, elastic bill, and snipe-like habit. [Fr. avocette, It. avosetta.]
Avoid, a-void′, v.t. to try to escape from: to shun: (law) to invalidate: (Shak.) to leave, to quit.—adj. Avoid′able.—n. Avoid′ance, the act of avoiding or shunning: act of annulling. [Pfx. a- = Fr. es = L. ex, out, and Void.]
Avoirdupois, av-or-dū-poiz′, adj. or n. a system of weights in which the lb. equals 16 oz. [O. Fr. aveir de pes (avoir du pois), to have weight—L. hab-ēre, to have, pensum, that which is weighed.]
Avoset. See Avocet.
Avouch, a-vowch′, v.t. to avow: to assert or own positively: to maintain: guarantee; to appeal to. v.i. to give assurance of.—n. (Shak.) evidence.—adj. Avouch′able.—n. Avouch′ment. [O. Fr. avochier—L. advocāre, to call to one's aid. See Vouch.]
Avoure, a-vowr′, n. (Spens.) confession, acknowledgment, justification. [See Avow.]
Avow, a-vow′, v.t. to declare openly: to own or confess: to affirm or maintain: (law) to justify an act done.—n. a solemn promise: a vow.—pa.p. as adj. self-acknowledged.—adj. Avow′able.—ns. Avow′ableness, Avow′ance (obs.); Avow′al, a positive declaration: a frank confession.—adv. Avow′edly.—n. Avow′ry (law), the act of avowing and justifying in one's own right the distraining of goods: (obs.) advocacy considered as personified in a patron saint. [O. Fr. avouer, orig. to swear fealty to—L. ad, and Low L. votāre—votum, a vow. See Vow.]
Avulse, a-vuls′, v.t. to pluck or tear away.—n. Avul′sion, forcible separation. [L. avell-ĕre, avulsum.]
Avuncular, a-vung′kū-lar, adj. pertaining to an uncle.—v.t. or v.i. Avunc′ulise (Fuller), to act like an uncle. [L. avunculus, an uncle.]