Averment A·ver"ment noun [ Confer Old French averement , Late Latin averamentum . See Aver , transitive verb ] 1. The act of averring, or that which is averred; affirmation; positive assertion.

Signally has this averment received illustration in the course of recent events.
I. Taylor.

2. Verification; establishment by evidence. Bacon. 3. (Law) A positive statement of facts; an allegation; an offer to justify or prove what is alleged. » In any stage of pleadings, when either party advances new matter, he avers it to be true, by using this form of words: "and this he is ready to verify." This was formerly called an averment . It modern pleading, it is termed a verification . Blackstone.

Avernal, Avernian A·ver"nal, A·ver"ni·an adjective Of or pertaining to Avernus, a lake of Campania, in Italy, famous for its poisonous vapors, which ancient writers fancied were so malignant as to kill birds flying over it. It was represented by the poets to be connected with the infernal regions.

Averpenny Av"er·pen`ny noun [ Aver , noun + penny .] (Old Eng. Law) Money paid by a tenant in lieu of the service of average.

Averroism A·ver"ro·ism noun The tenets of the Averroists.

Averroist A·ver"ro·ist noun One of a sect of peripatetic philosophers, who appeared in Italy before the restoration of learning; so denominated from Averroes, or Averrhoes, a celebrated Arabian philosopher. He held the doctrine of monopsychism.

Averruncate Av`er·run"cate transitive verb [ Latin averruncare to avert; a , ab , off + verruncare to turn; formerly derived from ab and eruncare to root out. Confer Aberuncate .] 1. To avert; to ward off. [ Obsolete] Hudibras. 2. To root up. [ Obsolete] Johnson.

Averruncation Av`er·run·ca"tion noun [ Confer Old French averroncation .] 1. The act of averting. [ Obsolete] 2. Eradication. [ R.] De Quincey.

Averruncator Av`er·run·ca"tor noun [ Confer Aberuncator .] An instrument for pruning trees, consisting of two blades, or a blade and a hook, fixed on the end of a long rod.

Averruncator Av`er·run·ca"tor noun An instrument for pruning trees, having two blades, or a blade and a hook, fixed on a long rod and operated by a string or wire.

Aversation Av`er·sa"tion noun [ Latin aversatio , from aversari to turn away, v. intens. of avertere . See Avert .] A turning from with dislike; aversion. [ Obsoleteor Archaic]

Some men have a natural aversation to some vices or virtues, and a natural affection to others.
Jer. Taylor.

Averse A·verse" adjective [ Latin aversus , past participle of avertere . See Avert .] 1. Turned away or backward. [ Obsolete]

The tracks averse a lying notice gave,
And led the searcher backward from the cave.
Dryden.

2. Having a repugnance or opposition of mind; disliking; disinclined; unwilling; reluctant.

Averse alike to flatter, or offend.
Pope.

Men who were averse to the life of camps.
Macaulay.

Pass by securely as men averse from war.
Micah ii. 8.

» The prevailing usage now is to employ to after averse and its derivatives rather than from , as was formerly the usage. In this the word is in agreement with its kindred terms, hatred , dislike , dissimilar , contrary , repugnant , etc., expressing a relation or an affection of the mind to an object. Syn. -- Averse , Reluctant , Adverse . Averse expresses an habitual, though not of necessity a very strong, dislike; as, averse to active pursuits; averse to study. Reluctant , a term of the of the will, implies an internal struggle as to making some sacrifice of interest or feeling; as, reluctant to yield; reluctant to make the necessary arrangements; a reluctant will or consent. Adverse denotes active opposition or hostility; as, adverse interests; adverse feelings, plans, or movements; the adverse party.

Averse A·verse" transitive verb & i. To turn away. [ Obsolete] B. Jonson.

Aversely A·verse"ly adverb 1. Backward; in a backward direction; as, emitted aversely . 2. With repugnance or aversion; unwillingly.

Averseness A·verse"ness noun The quality of being averse; opposition of mind; unwillingness.

Aversion A·ver"sion noun [ Latin aversio : confer French aversion . See Avert .] 1. A turning away. [ Obsolete]

Adhesion to vice and aversion from goodness.
Bp. Atterbury.

2. Opposition or repugnance of mind; fixed dislike; antipathy; disinclination; reluctance.

Mutual aversion of races.
Prescott.

His rapacity had made him an object of general aversion .
Macaulay.

» It is now generally followed by to before the object. [ See Averse .] Sometimes towards and for are found; from is obsolete.

A freeholder is bred with an aversion to subjection.
Addison.

His aversion towards the house of York.
Bacon.

It is not difficult for a man to see that a person has conceived an aversion for him.
Spectator.

The Khasias . . . have an aversion to milk.
J. D. Hooker.

3. The object of dislike or repugnance.

Pain their aversion , pleasure their desire.
Pope.

Syn. -- Antipathy; dislike; repugnance; disgust. See Dislike .

Avert A·vert" transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Averted ; present participle & verbal noun Averting .] [ Latin avertere ; a , ab + vertere to turn: confer Old French avertir . See Verse , noun ] To turn aside, or away; as, to avert the eyes from an object; to ward off, or prevent, the occurrence or effects of; as, how can the danger be averted ? "To avert his ire." Milton.

When atheists and profane persons do hear of so many discordant and contrary opinions in religion, it doth avert them from the church.
Bacon.

Till ardent prayer averts the public woe.
Prior.

Avert A·vert" intransitive verb To turn away. [ Archaic]

Cold and averting from our neighbor's good.
Thomson.

Averted A·vert"ed adjective Turned away, esp. as an expression of feeling; also, offended; unpropitious.

Who scornful pass it with averted eye.
Keble.

Averter A·vert"er noun One who, or that which, averts.

Avertible A·vert"i·ble adjective Capable of being averted; preventable.

Avertiment A·ver"ti·ment noun Advertisement. [ Obsolete]

Aves A"ves noun plural [ Latin , plural of avis bird.] (Zoology) The class of Vertebrata that includes the birds. » Aves , or birds, have a complete double circulation, oviparous, reproduction, front limbs peculiarly modified as wings; and they bear feathers. All existing birds have a horny beak, without teeth; but some Mesozoic fossil birds (Odontornithes) had conical teeth inserted in both jaws. The principal groups are: Carinatæ , including all existing flying birds; Ratitæ , including the ostrich and allies, the apteryx, and the extinct moas; Odontornithes , or fossil birds with teeth. The ordinary birds are classified largely by the structure of the beak and feet, which are in direct relation to their habits. See Beak , Bird , Odontonithes .

Avesta A·ves"ta noun The Zoroastrian scriptures. See Zend-Avesta .

Avestan A·ves"tan adjective Of or pertaining to the Avesta or the language of the Avesta. -- noun The language of the Avesta; -- less properly called Zend .

Aviado A`vi·a"do noun [ Spanish ] One who works a mine with means provided by another. [ Spanish Amer. & Southwestern U. S.]

Avian A"vi·an adjective Of or instrument to birds.

Aviary A"vi·a·ry noun ; plural Aviaries [ Latin aviarium , from aviarius pertaining to birds, from avis bird, akin to Gr, ..., Sanskrit vi .] A house, inclosure, large cage, or other place, for keeping birds confined; a bird house.

Lincolnshire may be termed the aviary of England.
Fuller.

Aviate A"vi·ate intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Aviated ; present participle & verbal noun Aviating .] To fly, or navigate the air, in an aëroplane or heavier-than-air flying machine. [ Colloq.]

Aviation A`vi·a"tion noun The art or science of flying.

Aviator A"vi·a`tor noun (a) An experimenter in aviation. (b) A flying machine.

Aviator A"vi·a`tor noun The driver or pilot of an aëroplane, or heavier-than-air flying machine.

Aviatress, Aviatrix A"vi·a`tress, A`vi·a"trix noun A woman aviator.

Avicula A·vic"u·la noun [ Latin , small bird.] (Zoology) A genus of marine bivalves, having a pearly interior, allied to the pearl oyster; -- so called from a supposed resemblance of the typical species to a bird.

Avicular A·vic"u·lar adjective [ Latin avicula a small bird, dim. of avis bird.] Of or pertaining to a bird or to birds.

Avicularia A·vic`u·la"ri·a noun plural [ New Latin See Avicular .] (Zoology) See prehensile processes on the cells of some Bryozoa, often having the shape of a bird's bill.

Aviculture A"vi·cul`ture noun [ Latin avis bird + cultura culture.] (Zoology) Rearing and care of birds.

Avid Av"id adjective [ Latin avidus , from av...re to long: confer French avide . See Avarice .] Longing eagerly for; eager; greedy. " Avid of gold, yet greedier of renown." Southey.

Avidious A·vid"i·ous adjective Avid.

Avidiously A·vid"i·ous·ly adverb Eagerly; greedily.

Avidity A·vid"i·ty noun [ Latin aviditas , from avidus : confer French avidité . See Avid .] Greediness; strong appetite; eagerness; intenseness of desire; as, to eat with avidity .

His books were received and read with avidity .
Milward.

Avie A·vie" adverb [ Prefix a- + vie .] Emulously. [ Obsolete]

Aviette A`vi·ette" noun A heavier-than- air flying machine in which the motive power is furnished solely by the aviator.

Avifauna A`vi·fau"na noun [ New Latin , from Latin avis bird + English fauna .] (Zoology) The birds, or all the kinds of birds, inhabiting a region.

Avigato Av`i·ga"to noun See Avocado .

Avignon berry A`vignon" ber"ry (Botany) The fruit of the Rhamnus infectorius , eand of other species of the same genus; -- so called from the city of Avignon, in France. It is used by dyers and painters for coloring yellow. Called also French berry .

Avile A·vile" transitive verb [ Old French aviler , French avilir ; a (L. ad ) + vil vile. See Vile .] To abase or debase; to vilify; to depreciate. [ Obsolete]

Want makes us know the price of what we avile .
B. Jonson.

Avis A·vis" noun [ French avis . See Advice .] Advice; opinion; deliberation. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Avise A·vise" transitive verb [ French aviser . See Advise , transitive verb ] 1. To look at; to view; to think of. [ Obsolete] Chaucer. 2. To advise; to counsel. [ Obsolete] Shak. To avise one's self , to consider with one's self, to reflect, to deliberate. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Now therefore, if thou wilt enriched be,
Avise thee well, and change thy willful mood.
Spenser.

Avise A·vise" intransitive verb To consider; to reflect. [ Obsolete]

Aviseful A·vise"ful adjective Watchful; circumspect. [ Obsolete]

With sharp, aviseful eye.
Spenser.