Forms: 2 auouh(en, 3 awou, 3–7 au- avowe, 5 awowe, 5–7 aduow(e, 6– avow. [a. OF. avoue-r, avoer:—L. advocā-re to call to, call upon; esp. to call in as a defender or patron (cf. ADVOCATE): hence, in feudal times, to call upon or own as defender, patron, client, or person in some way related, to acknowledge as ours in some relation; afterwards extended to things. Olten semi-latinized to advow in 15–16th c., a corruption which has become permanent in the derivative ADVOWSON. Cf. AVOUCH.]
1. trans. To own or acknowledge (a person) as one’s own.
(In the first example it may mean literally ‘call to thyself.’)
c. 1220. Ureisun, in Cott. Hom., 197. Auouh mine soule hwon ich of þisse liue uare.
1467. Bury Wills (1850), 50. I will … that myn executors avowe hym in his suet.
1580. North, Plutarch (1676), 2. His Father knew him, and avowed him for his Son.
1600. Hakluyt, Voy. (1810), III. 176. Not our subiects, nor by vs any way to be advowed.
1619. Ld. Doncaster, in Eng. & Germ. (Camd., 1865), 147. Giving me commission to say what I would … wherein he promised to avow me.
† 2. refl. To avow (oneself) on or upon: to put oneself under the protection or patronage of, to claim the authority of, to affiliate oneself upon. Obs.
1577. Holinshed, Chron., III. 900/2. Certeine aduowing themselues on you, haue assailed and taken by force the citie of Rome.
1602. Carew, Cornwall, 135 b. Our Foy Gallants … auowing themselves vpon the Earle of Warwicke.
† 3. trans. To Own (the deeds of an agent); to sanction, approve. Obs.
1530. Palsgr., 418/1. I advowe or make good, Jaduoue … What so euer he promyse in my name I wyll advowe it.
1628. T. Spencer, Logic, 3. We have the frequent vse of learned men to avow it.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., II. xviii. 90. Be contented to avow all the actions he shall do.
4. trans. To declare (as a thing one can vouch for); to affirm, maintain (a thing which others might deny). Const. simple obj., subord. cl., absol. Obs. or arch., but surviving in some uses of VOW.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 7307. For-soth i sai, and sal a-wou, Ful sare yee sal repent yow.
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 191. Tullius his tale avoweth And saith.
1476. Sir John Paston, in Lett., 778, III. 164. [They] offryd to afferme and advowe my tytell for goode.
1533. More, Debell. Salem, Wks. 992/1. Ryghte worshipful folk, that before me aduowed it in hys face.
1596. Danett, Commines’ Hist. Fr. (1614), 339. De Clerieux … aduowed his report to be true for them both.
1611. Bible, Pref., 8. Wee affirme and auow that the very meanest translation of the Bible in English … containeth the word of God.
1759. Franklin, Ess., Wks. 1840, III. 272. Avowing proprietary and deputy-government reasons for such his refusal.
1805. Scott, Last Minstrel, I. xi. As bards avow.
† b. To vouch for, guarantee. Obs.
1530. Palsgr., 441/2. I avowe, I warrant or make good, or upholde as in marchaundyse or such lyke … Take this clothe of my worde, I avowe it for good.
5. trans. To own, acknowledge, admit or confess (facts, statements, or opinions, that one might himself conceal or deny). Const. as in 4.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron., 320. If he wille avowe alle his wikked sawe.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Chan. Yem. Prol. & T., 89. I wol nought avowe what I say, And therfor kep it secré I yow pray.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 19. A-vowyn, or stonde by the forsayde worde or dede, Advoco.
1460. Capgrave, Chron., 182. Sche accused a certeyn knyte, whech cam to the Kyng and avowid every word.
1659. Gentl. Call., ix. § 3. This little tract … must avow to come upon that uncivil yet friendly errand.
1667. Dryden, Ann. Mirab., 545. As when fiends did miracles avow, He stands confess’d e’en by the boastful Dutch.
1778. Johnson, in Boswell (1816), III. 294. Many a man thinks, what he is ashamed to avow.
1855. Prescott, Philip II., I. II. viii. 235. The boldness with which he avowed his opinions.
6. refl. and pass. To confess one’s identity, declare oneself.
1465. Paston Lett., 533, II. 249. William Nawton is here with me, but he dare not ben avowyd.
1621. Molle, Camerar. Liv. Libr., I. vi. 16. I affirme and auow myselfe, that I am Liege-man … of Ferdinand.
1769. Sir W. Draper, in Junius Lett., xxiv. 114. Avow yourself, and prove the charge.
1837. S. Maitland, 12 Lett. (1841), 81. The gentlemen who have avowed themselves as the instigators of the new edition.
7. Law. To justify or maintain (an act done, spec. a distress, for rent taken in one’s own right).
1528. Perkins, Profit. Bk., ii. § 122. If in a Replevin the defendant avow for a Rent charg in another place.
1540. Act 32 Hen. VIII., ii. § 9. The next heire … shall haue … liberty … to sue demaunde, aduowe, declare, or make, the sayd titles, claymes, prescriptions.
1617. Minsheu, s.v. Avowrie, He that took the Distresse, justifying or maintaining the act, is said to allow, and that is called his Auowrie.
1809. Tomlins, Law Dict., s.v. Avowry, Where tenant in tail aliens in fee, the donor may avow upon him.
