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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Avow, Awow, v.² Also: avou (auou), auough; awowe, awou-, awov-, awo; avoy, awoy. [ME. avowe (c 1300), awou, OF. avouer, L. advocāre.]

1. tr. To declare openly; to affirm or maintain.(a) 1405 Douglas Corr. 65 (he has saide mar in myn absence than he dar awow in my presens). c1420 Wynt. vi. 2321 (all this I dar noucht swth awowe). a1500 Henr. III. 142/12 (gif the tellar weill awow it wald). 1558 Inverness B. Rec. I. 20 (gyf he wald awo that the contract wes false). 1560 Rolland Seven S. 105/33 (this burges wyf sa peirtly culd awow that scho sa saikles wes). 1600 State P. (Reg. H.) No. 108 (gif they hard the erle awow the samin). 1606 Acts IV. 292/2 (they no sonner awovit and vtterit thair disobedience to his maiestie bot … ).(b) 1398 Acts I. 211/2 (as his consail ... wil avow & answer for before the kyng). 1456 Hay I. 247/24 (sa may thai avow it be the common law). a1500 Doug. K. Hart 599 (I dar avow, Natur did mis). 1560 Rolland Seven S. 190/20 (I auow richt sair ȝe sall repent). c1616 Hume Orthog. 31/1 (we avowe that quhilk we knaw). 1627 Peebles B. Rec. 368 (avowing he sould lay ane wand about his luggis).(c) 1568 Buch. Indict. 43 (sic as outwartlie mycht nocht awoy the threuth).

b. To assert or prove one's right to (property). 1520 Fife Sheriff Ct. 191.
Thomas Scott … askand the said muttonis, sayand that he wald awow thaim gif ony persone wauld persew thaim wnlauchfully takine

2. To own, admit, acknowledge, confess.1456 Hay I. 254/34 (quhilkis wald avow a fals pape). 1556 Prot. Bk. T. Dalrymple 54 b (ȝe will nocht awowe the doing of it); Ib. (I will awow and nocht deny). 1572 Sat. P. xxxi. 172 (nane of Scottis blude in Scotland dar him self auow). a1578 Pitsc. II. 313/16 (thair was mony wreittingis nocht avowit). 1590 St. A. Kirk S. 689 (if Margret will avoy the dilatioun). 1610 Misc. Hist. Soc. II. 163 (thir books, some avoued & some not). 1687 Inverness Presb. 366 (awoues himselfe to be a conventicler).

3. intr. To give allegiance to one.1456 Hay I. 207/34 (a citee that has na lord that thai avow till).