AVANT-COURIER
A*vant"-cou`ri*er, n. Etym: [F., fr. avant before + courrier. See
Avaunt, and Courier.]
Defn: A person dispatched before another person or company, to give notice of his or their approach.
AVANT-GUARD
A*vant"-guard` (; sq. root277), n. Etym: [F. avant before + E. guard,
F. avant-garde. See Avaunt.]
Defn: The van or advanced body of an army. See Vanguard.
AVARICE Av"a*rice, n. Etym: [F. avaritia, fr. avarus avaricious, prob. fr. av to covert, fr. a root av to satiate one's self: cf. Gr. av to satiate one's self, rejoice, protect.]
1. An excessive or inordinate desire of gain; greediness after wealth; covetousness; cupidity. To desire money for its own sake, and in order to hoard it up, is avarice. Beattie.
2. An inordinate desire for some supposed good. All are taught an avarice of praise. Goldsmith.
AVARICIOUS
Av`a*ri"cious, a. Etym: [Cf. F. avaricieux.]
Defn: Actuated by avarice; greedy of gain; immoderately desirous of accumulating property.
Syn. — Greedy; stingy; rapacious; griping; sordid; close. — Avaricious, Covetous, Parsimonious, Penurious, Miserly, Niggardly. The avaricious eagerly grasp after it at the expense of others, though not of necessity with a design to save, since a man may be covetous and yet a spendthrift. The penurious, parsimonious, and miserly save money by disgraceful self-denial, and the niggardly by meanness in their dealing with others. We speak of persons as covetous in getting, avaricious in retaining, parsimonious in expending, penurious or miserly in modes of living, niggardly in dispensing. — Av`a*ri"cious*ly, adv — Av`a*ri"cious*ness, n.