Gavel Definition

găvəl

gaveled, gaveling, gavelled, gavelling, gavels

noun

A small mallet, especially:

American Heritage

A small mallet rapped on the table by a presiding officer in calling for attention or silence, or by an auctioneer.

Webster's New World

A maul used by masons in fitting stones.

American Heritage

Tribute or rent in ancient and medieval England.

American Heritage

A wooden mallet, used by a judge in a courtroom, or a chairman of a committee, struck against a sounding block to quiet the rabble down.

Wiktionary

Synonyms:

verb

To strike a gavel.

Webster's New World

To strike with or as with a gavel.

Webster's New World

To cause (a meeting) to end, be in order, etc. by striking a gavel.

Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Gavel

Singular:

gavel

Plural:

Old French gavelle, French javelle, probably diminutive from Latin capulus (“handle”), from capere (“to lay hold of, seize”); or compare Welsh gafael (“hold, grasp”). Compare heave.

From Wiktionary
Origin obscure. Perhaps alteration of cavel (“a stone mason's hammer”). More at cavel.

From Wiktionary
Middle English from Old English gafol ghabh- in Indo-European roots

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
Old English gafol.

From Wiktionary
Origin unknown

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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