different between avowal vs averment

English

Etymology

avow +? -al

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -a??l

Noun

avowal (countable and uncountable, plural avowals)

1. An open declaration of affirmation or admission of knowledge.
   • 1813, Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 11, ^[1]

     Elizabeth's astonishment was beyond expression. She stared, coloured, doubted, and was silent. This he considered sufficient encouragement, and the avowal of all that he felt and had long felt for her, immediately followed.

   • 1920, Edith Wharton, The Age of Innocence, Book I, Chapter I, ^[2]

     It was only that afternoon that May Welland had let him guess that she “cared” (New York’s consecrated phrase of maiden avowal), and already his imagination, leaping ahead of the engagement ring, the betrothal kiss and the march from Lohengrin, pictured her at his side in some scene of old European witchery.

   • 2004, Alan Hollinghurst, The Line of Beauty, Bloomsbury, 2005, Chapter 5,

     “That's because I love you,” said Nick, singsong with the truth.

     Leo took in this chance for an echoing avowal; it was a brief deep silence, as tactical as it was undiscussable.

Synonyms

• averral
• acknowledgement
• testimony

Related terms

• avow
• avowed
• avowable
• avowry
• vow

Translations

English

Etymology

From Middle English averement, from Old French averrement, averement, from averer (Modern French avérer).

Noun

averment (countable and uncountable, plural averments)

1. The act of averring, or that which is averred; positive assertion.
   • 1924, Herman Melville, Billy Budd, London: Constable & Co., Chapter 16, [1]

     And for some of these averments, he added, substantiating proof was not far.

2. verification; establishment by evidence.
3. A positive statement of facts; an allegation; an offer to justify or prove what is alleged.

Synonyms

• (act of averring): affirmation, asseveration, assertion, declaration

References

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

Anagrams

• Vanmeter