avouch, avouche

t. [O. Norm. Fr. advoucher; O. Fr. avochier, avocher, advoquer, avoquer, avoner; from Norm. Fr. voucher; Old Fr. vochier, vocher = to call, to pray in aid, to call to aid in a suit, to summon; from Lat. advoco to call, to summon: ad = to, and voco to call. Wedgwood believes that vouch in the sense of "call to" specially refers to the case of a tenant calling on his feudal lord to defend him in the matter of a right impugned. Finally, however, the word becoming transferred to the landlord, lost its meaning of "call to," and came to mean "take the part of the tenant against his a ailant," openly acknowledge, avow, positively affirm, vouch.] [AvOW, VOUCH.] I. (Apparently with tacit reference to a tenant's calling on his landlord for support of a claim.) (See etym.) To adduce in support of anything. "Such antiquities could have been avouched for the Irish."-Spenser: State of Ireland. II. (Apparently with tacit reference to a landlord's acknowledging a tenant and defending his rights.) (See etym.) 1. Solemnly and deliberately to acknowledge a being or person as standing to the avoucher in a certain relation. (a) As a superior acknowledges an inferior, or as the Supreme Being owns the people of God. "And the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people,.."- Deut . xxvi. 18. (b) In a more general sense, without reference to the superiority or inferiority of the persons or beings avouching and avouched. "Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God, and to walk in his ways,..."- Deut . xxvi. 17. 2. To a ent to or support the petition or the understood wishes of any person. " Nem. Great Arimanes, doth thy will avouch The wishes of this mortal?" Byron: Manfred, 11. 4. 3. To support a cause believed to be just; to justify, to vindicate. "You will think you made no offence, if the duke avouch the justice of your dealing."-Shakesp.: Measure for Measure, iv. 2. 4. To a ert positively, to affirm; to maintain, to aver. "... but that it is so constantly avouched by many." -Bacon : Nat . Hist ., Cent. x., § 911.