different between avowal vs avow

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 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