6 definitions found

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

avow

verb

1: to declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true; "Before God I swear I am innocent" [syn: {affirm}, {verify}, {assert}, {aver}, {swan}, {swear}]

2: admit openly and bluntly; make no bones about [syn: {avouch}] [ant: {disavow}]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:

Avow \A*vow"\, verb (used with an object) [imp. & p. p. {Avowed} (?); p. pr. & vb. n. {Avowing}.] [F. avouver, fr. L. advocare to call to (whence the meanings, to call upon as superior; recognize as lord, own, confess); ad + vocare to call. See {Advocate}, {Avouch}.]

1. To declare openly, as something believed to be right; to own or acknowledge frankly; as, a man avows his principles or his crimes.

Which I to be the of Israel's God Avow, and challenge Dagon to the test. --Milton.

2. (Law) To acknowledge and justify, as an act done. See {Avowry}. --Blackstone.

Syn: To acknowledge; own; confess. See {Confess}.

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:

Avow \A*vow"\, noun [Cf. F. aveu.] Avowal. [Obs.] --Dryden.

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:

Avow \A*vow"\, verb (used with an object) & i. [OF. avouer, fr. LL. votare to vow, fr. L. votun. See {Vote}, noun] To bind, or to devote, by a vow. [Obs.] --Wyclif.

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:

Avow \A*vow"\, noun A vow or determination. [Archaic]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

86 Moby Thesaurus words for "avow": accept, acknowledge, admit, admit everything, affirm, agree provisionally, allege, allow, announce, annunciate, argue, assent grudgingly, assert, assever, asseverate, attest, aver, avouch, bear witness, certify, claim, come clean, concede, confess, contend, cop a plea, declare, defend, depone, depose, disclose, enunciate, express, express general agreement, express the belief, give evidence, go along with, grant, have, hold, insist, issue a manifesto, lay down, let on, maintain, manifesto, not oppose, open up, out with it, own, own up, plead guilty, predicate, pretend, pretext, proclaim, profess, pronounce, protest, protest too much, purport, put, put it, recognize, say, set down, speak, speak out, speak up, spill, spill it, spit it out, stand for, stand on, state, submit, swear, tell all, tell the truth, testify, vindicate, vouch, vow, warrant, witness, yield

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