GAVEL

Gavel

A gavel is a small ceremonial mallet commonly made of hardwood, typically fashioned with a handle and often struck against a sounding block to enhance its sounding qualities. It is a symbol of the authority and right to act officially in the capacity of a chair or presiding officer. It is used to call for attention or to punctuate rulings and proclamations. It is customarily struck to indicate the opening, keep the meeting itself calm and orderly, and the closing of proceedings, giving rise to the phrase gavel-to-gavel to describe the entirety of a meeting or session. It is also used by judges in the courts of some countries and by auctioneers to signal a sale.

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gavel

Noun

  1. Rent.
  2. Usury; interest on money.

Noun (etymology 2)

  1. A wooden mallet, used by a judge in a courtroom, or a chairman of a committee, struck against a sounding block to quiet the rabble down.
  2. The legal system as a whole.
  3. A mason's setting maul.

Noun (etymology 3)

  1. A small heap of grain, not tied up into a bundle.

Noun (etymology 4)

  1. A gable.

Verb

  1. To use a gavel.


The above text is a snippet from Wiktionary: gavel
and as such is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

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