gavel

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: gav=el

CIDE DICTIONARY

gavel, n. 

 A gable.  Halliwell.  [1913 Webster]

gavel, n. [OF. gavelle, F. javelle, prob. dim. from L. capulus handle, fr. capere to lay hold of, seize; or cf. W. gafael hold, grasp. Cf. Heave.].

 A small heap of grain, not tied up into a bundle.  Wright.  [1913 Webster]

gavel, n. [Etymol. uncertain.].

•  The mallet of the presiding officer in a legislative body, public assembly, court, masonic body, etc.  [1913 Webster]
•  A mason's setting maul.  Knight.  [1913 Webster]

gavel, n. [OF. gavel, AS. gafol, prob. fr. gifan to give. See Give, and cf. Gabel tribute.].

 Tribute; toll; custom. [Obs.] See Gabel.  Cowell.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

gavel, n. & v.
--n. a small hammer used by an auctioneer, or for calling a meeting to order.
--v. (gavelled, gavelling; US gaveled, gaveling)
1 intr. use a gavel.
2 tr. (often foll. by down) end (a meeting) or dismiss (a speaker) by use of a gavel.

Etymology

19th c.: orig. unkn.

ROGET THESAURUS

gavel

Assemblage

N assemblage, collection, collocation, colligation, compilation, levy, gathering, ingathering, muster, attroupement, team, concourse, conflux, congregation, contesseration, convergence, meeting, levee, reunion, drawing room, at home, conversazione, assembly, congress, convention, conventicle, gemote, conclave, posse, posse comitatus, Noah's ark, miscellany, collectanea, museum, menagerie, museology, crowd, throng, group, flood, rush, deluge, rabble, mob, press, crush, cohue, horde, body, tribe, crew, gang, knot, squad, band, party, swarm, shoal, school, covey, flock, herd, drove, atajo, bunch, drive, force, mulada, remuda, roundup, array, bevy, galaxy, corps, company, troop, troupe, task force, army, regiment, host, populousness, clan, brotherhood, fraternity, sorority, association, volley, shower, storm, cloud, group, cluster, Pleiades, clump, pencil, set, batch, lot, pack, budget, assortment, bunch, parcel, packet, package, bundle, fascine, fasces, bale, seron, seroon, fagot, wisp, truss, tuft, shock, rick, fardel, stack, sheaf, haycock, fascicle, fascicule, fasciculus, gavel, hattock, stook, accumulation, congeries, heap, lump, pile, rouleau, tissue, mass, pyramid, bing, drift, snowball, snowdrift, acervation, cumulation, glomeration, agglomeration, conglobation, conglomeration, conglomerate, coacervate, coacervation, coagmentation, aggregation, concentration, congestion, omnium gaterum, spicilegium, black hole of Calcutta, quantity, collector, gatherer, whip, whipper in, assembled, closely packed, dense, serried, crowded to suffocation, teeming, swarming, populous, as thick as hops, all of a heap, fasciculated cumulative, the plot thickens, acervatim, tibi seris tibi metis.

Price

N price, amount, cost, expense, prime cost, charge, figure, demand, damage, fare, hire, wages, value, dues, duty, toll, tax, impost, cess, sess, tallage, levy, abkari, capitation tax, poll tax, doomage, likin, gabel, gabelle, gavel, octroi, custom, excise, assessment, benevolence, tithe, tenths, exactment, ransom, salvage, tariff, brokerage, wharfage, freightage, bill, shot, priced, to the tune of, ad valorem, dutiable, mercenary, venal, no penny no paternoster, point d'argent point de Suisse, no longer pipe no longer dance, no song no supper, if you dance you have to pay the piper, you get what you pay for, there's no such thing as a free lunch, one may have it for, a bon marche.