Part 462

Yet are not these parts avelled. Sir T. Browne.

A*vel"lane (&?;), a. [Cf. It. avellana a filbert, fr. L. Avella or Abella a city of Campania.] (Her.) In the form of four unhusked filberts; as, an avellane cross.

{ ||A"ve Ma*ri"a (&?;), A"ve Ma"ry (&?;). } [From the first words of the Roman Catholic prayer to the Virgin Mary; L. ave hail, Maria Mary.] 1. A salutation and prayer to the Virgin Mary, as mother of God; -- used in the Roman Catholic church.

To number Ave Maries on his beads. Shak.

2. A particular time (as in Italy, at the ringing of the bells about half an hour after sunset, and also at early dawn), when the people repeat the Ave Maria.

Ave Maria ! blessed be the hour ! Byron.

||A*ve"na (&?;), n. [L.] (Bot.) A genus of grasses, including the common oat (Avena sativa); the oat grasses.

Av`e*na"ceous (&?;), a. [L. avenaceus, fr. avena oats.] Belonging to, or resembling, oats or the oat grasses.

Av"e*nage (&?;), n. [F. avenage, fr. L. avena oats.] (Old Law) A quantity of oats paid by a tenant to a landlord in lieu of rent. Jacob.

Av"e*ner (&?;), n. [OF. avenier, fr. aveine, avaine, avoine, oats, F. avoine, L. avena.] (Feud. Law) An officer of the king's stables whose duty it was to provide oats for the horses. [Obs.]

A*venge" (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Avenged (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Avenging (&?;).] [OF. avengier; L. ad + vindicare to lay claim to, to avenge, revenge. See Vengeance.] 1. To take vengeance for; to exact satisfaction for by punishing the injuring party; to vindicate by inflicting pain or evil on a wrongdoer.

He will avenge the blood of his servants. Deut. xxxii. 43.

Avenge, O Lord, thy slaughtered saints, whose bones Lie scattered on the Alpine mountains cold. Milton.

He had avenged himself on them by havoc such as England had never before seen. Macaulay.

2. To treat revengefully; to wreak vengeance on. [Obs.]

Thy judgment in avenging thine enemies. Bp. Hall.

Syn. -- To Avenge, Revenge. To avenge is to inflict punishment upon evil doers in behalf of ourselves, or others for whom we act; as, to avenge one's wrongs; to avenge the injuries of the suffering and innocent. It is to inflict pain for the sake of vindication, or retributive justice. To revenge is to inflict pain or injury for the indulgence of resentful and malicious feelings. The former may at times be a duty; the latter is one of the worst exhibitions of human character.

I avenge myself upon another, or I avenge another, or I avenge a wrong. I revenge only myself, and that upon another. C. J. Smith.

A*venge", v. i. To take vengeance. Levit. xix. 18.

A*venge", n. Vengeance; revenge. [Obs.] Spenser.

A*venge"ance (&?;), n. Vengeance. [Obs.]

A*venge"ful (&?;), a. Vengeful. [Obs.] Spenser.

A*venge"ment (&?;), n. The inflicting of retributive punishment; satisfaction taken. [R.] Milton.

A*ven"ger (&?;), n. 1. One who avenges or vindicates; as, an avenger of blood.

2. One who takes vengeance. [Obs.] Milton.

A*ven"ger*ess, n. A female avenger. [Obs.] Spenser.

A*ve"ni*ous (&?;), a. [Pref. a- + L. vena a vein.] (Bot.) Being without veins or nerves, as the leaves of certain plants.

Av"e*nor (&?;), n. See Avener. [Obs.]