different between allege vs avow

English

Alternative forms

• alledg, alledge, allegge (obsolete)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??l?d?/
• Rhymes: -?d?

Etymology 1

From Middle English aleggen, borrowed from Anglo-Norman aleger, the form from Old French esligier (“to acquit”), from Medieval Latin *exl?tig?re (“to clear at law”), from Latin ex (“out”) + l?tig? (“sue at law”), the meaning from Old French alleguer, from Latin all?g?re, present active infinitive of all?g? (“send, depute; relate, mention, adduce”), from ad (“to”) + l?g? (“send”).

Verb

allege (third-person singular simple present alleges, present participle alleging, simple past and past participle alleged)

1. (obsolete, transitive) To state under oath, to plead.
2. (archaic) To cite or quote an author or his work for or against.
3. (transitive) To adduce (something) as a reason, excuse, support etc.
4. (transitive) To make a claim as justification or proof; to make an assertion without proof.

Related terms

• allegation
• privilege

Translations

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Old French alegier, from Latin allevi?re, present active infinitive of allevi? (“lighten”), from ad + levis (“light”). Doublet of alleviate.

Verb

allege (third-person singular simple present alleges, present participle alleging, simple past and past participle alleged)

1. (obsolete) To lighten, diminish.

   • and suffir never your soveraynté to be alledged with your subjects, nother the soveraygne of your persone and londys.

   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, III.ii:

     Hart that is inly hurt, is greatly eased / With hope of thing, that may allegge his smart […].

See also

• Wikipedia article on "oath"

References

• John A. Simpson and Edward S. C. Weiner, editors (1989) , “allege”, in The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd edition, Oxford: Clarendon Press, ?ISBN

Further reading

• allege in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• allege in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Latin

Verb

allege

1. second-person singular present active imperative of alleg?

English

Etymology

From Middle English avowen, from Old French avouer, from Latin advocare (“to call to, call upon, hence to call as a witness, defender, patron, or advocate”), from ad (“to”) + vocare (“to call”). Doublet of advoke, avouch, and advocate.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??va?/
• Rhymes: -a?

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.
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.

Antonyms

• disavow

Related terms

Translations

Noun

avow

1. (obsolete) avowal

   • without thy Knowledge and Avow

Further reading

• avow in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• avow in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• avow at OneLook Dictionary Search