aver
To assert the truth of (something); to affirm (something) with confidence; to declare (something) in a positive manner.
Noun
- A beast of burden; chiefly a workhorse, but also a working ox or other animal.
- An old, useless horse; a nag.
- […] Gilbert has but two half-starved cowardly peasants to follow him, and but an auld jaded aver to ride upon, fitter for the plough than for manly service; […] - 1820 March, [Walter Scott], chapter VIII, in The...
Origin
From Middle English aver, avere (“workhorse; any beast of burden (?); things which are owned, possessions, property, wealth; state of being rich, wealth; ownership, possession”) [and other forms], and then either: * from Old French aver, aveir, avoir (“possession, property; (collectively) beasts of burden; domestic animals; cattle”) (modern French avoir (“asset, possession”)), from aveir, avoir (“to have”), from Latin habēre (“to have, hold; to have, own (possessions)”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰeh₁bʰ-, *ǵʰeh₁bʰ- (“to grab, take”); or * from Old English eafor (“workhorse; tenant’s obligation to transport goods”), further etymology uncertain.
Forms
Verb
- To assert the truth of (something); to affirm (something) with confidence; to declare (something) in a positive manner.
- A rare thing to ſee a yong man or woman, that liues idlely, and fares well, of what condition ſoeuer, not to bee in loue. Vbicumqꝫ ſecuritas, ibi libido dominatur, luſt & ſecurity domineere together, as Sᵗ Hierome...
- Now as to the Scriptures being the Word of God, and evidently known to be ſo, or evidencing themſelves to be ſo, and that of right, and properly they are to be ſo called; all which thou J. O. very abſolutely averreſt,...
- Chiron, the four-legg'd Bard, had both / A Beard and Tail of his own growth; / And yet by Authors 'tis averr'd, / He made use onely of his Beard. - 1662 (indicated as 1663), [Samuel Butler], “[The First Part of...
- To justify or prove (an allegation or plea that one has made).
- To avouch, prove, or verify the existence or happening of (something), or to offer to do so.
- […] I return'd with ſimular proofe enough, / To make the Noble Leonatus mad, / By wounding his beleefe in her Renowne, / With tokens thus, and thus: auerring notes / Of Chamber-hanging, Pictures, this her Bracelet / (Oh...
- Upon a time the Body summon'd all the Members to meet in the Guild for the common good (as Aesops Chronicles averre many stranger Accidents) the head by right takes the first seat, and next to it a huge and monstrous...
- [A]lthough thou averrest this, and averrest it truly, we are nevertheless constrained to plead guilty to the possession of so much of this sensibility [a refusal to hear details] (call it "sickly" if thou wilt) as that...
Origin
From Middle English averren, from Old French averer, from Early Medieval Latin advērō, a verb derived from Latin vērus (“true”). Compare Modern French avérer.
Forms
avers averring averred no-table-tags glossary aver averrest averredst averreth -