avouchment

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English

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Etymology

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From avouch +‎ -ment.

Noun

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avouchment (countable and uncountable, plural avouchments)

  1. The act of avouching.
    • 1649, John Milton, Eikonoklastes[1], page 5:
      While in the judgement of wise Men, by laying the foundation of his defence on the avouchment of that which is so manifestly untrue, he hath giv’n a worse soile to his own cause, then when his whole Forces were at any time overthrown.
  2. A positive declaration.
    • 1959, Richard H. Rovere, “What He Was and What He Did-1”, in Senator Joe McCarthy[2], Cleveland: Meridian, published 1963, page 31:
      Under oath, at the Army-McCarthy hearings, he denied ever having said this. His denials were as meaningless as his avouchments, and reputable journalists heard him.

References

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