gavel (1)

[O. Fr. gavelle, gavile; Fr. javelle =a small heap of corn, from Low Lat.capella; Lat. capul us = a handful, capio to take hold; Spanish gavilla; Port. & Ital. gavel a; cf. Wel. gafael = a hold, a grasp.] 1. Originally, a small parcel of grain in the straw. Now, enough of the grain to be bound into a sheaf; the grain is raked from the harvester platform in gavels. Binding makes it a sheaf. A stook, or collection of sheaves placed on end, leaning together and mutually supporting, is a shock. 2. The ground. ( Provincial .) 1982 II. Of the form gavial is: 1. Zool .: A genus of Crocodiles (Crocodilia), suborder Procœlia of Owen, Eusuchia of Huxley. The jaws are very long and sub-cylindrical, dilated and convex to the end; the teeth very numerous and all nearly equal in size. The hind feet are indented at toes. [CROCODILIA.] the external edge, and palmated to the end of the 2. Palæont .: The genus first appears in the Upper Cretaceous rocks. It is found in Eocene rocks, with true crocodiles and alligators, though these are now restricted to particular regions and never are found together. Gavial is is found also in the Eocene of this country, though it is now confined to Asia. (Nicholson.) ga-võtte, ga-võt', s . [O. Fr.gavote ; Fr. gavotte ; Ital. gavotta ; originally a dance of the Gavots or people of Gap, in the department of the Upper Alps, and the old province of Dauphiné.] A dance tune Let it lie upon the ground or gavel eight or ten days." of a lively yet dignified character, of French origin, Mortimer: Husbandry. găv-el (2), s. [Etym. doubtful.) 1. A mason's setting maul. 2. A presiding officer's mallet. *gav-el (3), *gav-ele, *gov-el, s. [A. S. gáfol = tribute: Low Lat. gabulum ; Sp. gabela ; Port. & Ital. gabella .] 1. Tribute, toll, custom. 2. Interest, usury, extortion. "Ine thise heste is uorbode roberie, thief the, stale, and gauel."- Ayenbite , p. 9. ga-vel, *ga-vell, *ga-vel-yn, v. t. [GAVEL (1), 8.] To collect into gavels or small heaps to be bound into sheaves. "Gavelyn corne or otherlyke. Manipulo ." -Prompt . Parv .