Part 804

<hw>A*vai"a*bly</hw>, <tt>adv.</tt> <def>In an available manner; profitably; advantageously; efficaciously.</def>

<h1>Availment</h1> <Xpage=104>

<hw>A*vail"ment</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>Profit; advantage.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<h1>Avalanche</h1> <Xpage=104>

<hw>Av"a*lanche`</hw> <tt>(?; 277)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[F. <ets>avalanche</ets>, fr. <ets>avaler</ets> to descend, to let down, from <ets>aval</ets> down, downward; <?/ (L. <ets>ad</ets>) + <ets>val</ets>, L. <ets>vallis</ets>, valley. See <er>Valley</er>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>A large mass or body of snow and ice sliding swiftly down a mountain side, or falling down a precipice.</def>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>A fall of earth, rocks, etc., similar to that of an avalanche of snow or ice.</def>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>A sudden, great, or irresistible descent or influx of anything.</def>

<h1>Avale</h1> <Xpage=104>

<hw>A*vale"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. t. & i.</tt> <ety>[F. <ets>avaler</ets> to descend, to let down. See <er>Avalanche</er>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>To cause to descend; to lower; to let fall; to doff.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Chaucer.</i>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>To bring low; to abase.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Sir H. Wotton.</i>

<p><b>3.</b> <fld>(v. i.)</fld> <def>To descend; to fall; to dismount.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<blockquote>And from their sweaty courses did <b>avale</b>. <i>Spenser.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Avant</h1> <Xpage=104>

<hw>A*vant"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[For <ets>avant-guard</ets>. Cf. <er>Avaunt</er>, <er>Van</er>.]</ety> <def>The front of an army. <mark>[Obs.]</mark> See <er>Van</er>.</def>

<h1>Avant-courier</h1> <Xpage=104>

<hw>A*vant"-cou`ri*er</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[F., fr. <ets>avant</ets> before + <ets>courrier</ets>. See <er>Avaunt</er>, and <er>Courier</er>.]</ety> <def>A person dispatched before another person or company, to give notice of his or their approach.</def>

<h1>Avant-guard</h1> <Xpage=104>

<hw>A*vant"-guard`</hw> <tt>(?; &root;277)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[F. <ets>avant</ets> before + E. <ets>guard</ets>, F. <ets>avant-garde</ets>. See <er>Avaunt</er>.]</ety> <def>The van or advanced body of an army. See <er>Vanguard</er>.</def>

<h1>Avarice</h1> <Xpage=104>

<hw>Av"a*rice</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[F. <ets>avaritia</ets>, fr. <ets>avarus</ets> avaricious, prob. fr. <ets>av<?/re</ets> to covert, fr. a root <ets>av</ets> to satiate one's self: cf. Gr. <?/, <?/, to satiate, Skr. <ets>av</ets> to satiate one's self, rejoice, protect.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>An excessive or inordinate desire of gain; greediness after wealth; covetousness; cupidity.</def>

<blockquote>To desire money for its own sake, and in order to hoard it up, is <b>avarice</b>. <i>Beattie.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>An inordinate desire for some supposed good.</def>

<blockquote>All are taught an <b>avarice</b> of praise. <i>Goldsmith.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Avaricious</h1> <Xpage=104>

<hw>Av`a*ri"cious</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[Cf. F. <ets>avaricieux</ets>.]</ety> <def>Actuated by avarice; greedy of gain; immoderately desirous of accumulating property.</def>

<syn>Syn. -- Greedy; stingy; rapacious; griping; sordid; close.</syn> <usage> -- <er>Avaricious</er>, <er>Covetous</er>, <er>Parsimonious</er>, <er>Penurious</er>, <er>Miserly</er>, <er>Niggardly</er>. The <i>avaricious</i> eagerly grasp after it at the expense of others, though not of necessity with a design to save, since a man may be covetous and yet a spendthrift. The <i>penurious</i>, <i>parsimonious</i>, and <i>miserly</i> save money by disgraceful self-denial, and the <i>niggardly</i> by meanness in their dealing with others. We speak of persons as <i>covetous</i> in getting, <i>avaricious</i> in retaining, <i>parsimonious</i> in expending, <i>penurious</i> or <i>miserly</i> in modes of living, <i>niggardly</i> in dispensing.</usage>