Adjacent Words

Gavel definitions

	Tweet

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

GAV'EL, n. In law, tribute; toll; custom. [See Gable.]
GAV'EL, n.
1. A small parcel of wheat, rye or other grain, laid together by reapers, consisting of two, three or more handfuls.
2. In England, a provincial word for ground.
GAV'EL, for gable or gable-end. [See Gable.]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a small mallet used by a presiding officer or a judge

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old English gafol; akin to Old English giefan to give Date: before 12th century rent or tribute in medieval England II. noun Etymology: origin unknown Date: 1835 a mallet used (as by a presiding officer or auctioneer) for commanding attention or confirming an action (as a vote or sale) III. transitive verb (-eled or -elled; -eling or gavelling) Date: 1925 to bring or force by use of a gavel <gaveled the audience to silence>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. a small hammer used by an auctioneer, or for calling a meeting to order. --v. (gavelled, gavelling; US gaveled, gaveling) 1 intr. use a gavel. 2 tr. (often foll. by down) end (a meeting) or dismiss (a speaker) by use of a gavel. Etymology: 19th c.: orig. unkn.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Gavel Gav"el (g[a^]v"[e^]l), n. A gable. [Prov. Eng.] --Halliwell.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Gavel Gav"el, n. [OF. gavelle, F. javelle, prob. dim. from L. capulus handle, fr. capere to lay hold of, seize; or cf. W. gafael hold, grasp. Cf. Heave.] A small heap of grain, not tied up into a bundle. --Wright.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Gavel Gav"el, n. [Etymol. uncertain.] 1. The mallet of the presiding officer in a legislative body, public assembly, court, masonic body, etc. 2. A mason's setting maul. --Knight.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Gavel Gav"el, n. [OF. gavel, AS. gafol, prob. fr. gifan to give. See Give, and cf. Gabel tribute.] (Law) Tribute; toll; custom. [Obs.] See Gabel. --Cowell.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(gavels) A gavel is a small wooden hammer that the person in charge of a law court, an auction, or a meeting bangs on a table to get people's attention. N-COUNT: usu sing, oft poss N

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. Mallet (of a presiding officer).