Avernal to Avoider
Avernal
(A*ver"nal A*ver"ni*an) a. Of or pertaining to Avernus, a lake of Campania, in Italy, famous for
its poisonous vapors, which ancient writers fancied were so malignant as to kill birds flying over it. It
was represented by the poets to be connected with the infernal regions.
Averpenny
(Av"er*pen`ny) n. [Aver, n. + penny.] (Old Eng. Law) Money paid by a tenant in lieu of
the service of average.
Averroism
(A*ver"ro*ism) n. The tenets of the Averroists.
Averroist
(A*ver"ro*ist), n. One of a sect of peripatetic philosophers, who appeared in Italy before the
restoration of learning; so denominated from Averroes, or Averrhoes, a celebrated Arabian philosopher.
He held the doctrine of monopsychism.
Averruncate
(Av`er*run"cate) v. t. [L. averruncare to avert; a, ab, off + verruncare to turn; formerly
derived from ab and eruncare to root out. Cf. Aberuncate.]
1. To avert; to ward off. [Obs.] Hudibras.
2. To root up. [Obs.] Johnson.
Averruncation
(Av`er*run*ca"tion) n. [Cf. OF. averroncation.]
1. The act of averting. [Obs.]
2. Eradication. [R.] De Quincey.
Averruncator
(Av`er*run*ca"tor) n. [Cf. Aberuncator.] An instrument for pruning trees, consisting of
two blades, or a blade and a hook, fixed on the end of a long rod.
Aversation
(Av`er*sa"tion) n. [L. aversatio, fr. aversari to turn away, v. intens. of avertere. See Avert.]
A turning from with dislike; aversion. [Obs.or Archaic]
Some men have a natural aversation to some vices or virtues, and a natural affection to others.
Jer.
Taylor.
Averse
(A*verse") a. [L. aversus, p. p. of avertere. See Avert.]
1. Turned away or backward. [Obs.]
The tracks averse a lying notice gave,
And led the searcher backward from the cave.
Dryden.
2. Having a repugnance or opposition of mind; disliking; disinclined; unwilling; reluctant.
Averse alike to flatter, or offend.
Pope.
Men who were averse to the life of camps.
Macaulay.
Pass by securely as men averse from war.
Micah ii. 8.
The prevailing usage now is to employ to after averse and its derivatives rather than from, as was
formerly the usage. In this the word is in agreement with its kindred terms, hatred, dislike, dissimilar,
contrary, repugnant, etc., expressing a relation or an affection of the mind to an object.
Syn. — Averse, Reluctant, Adverse. Averse expresses an habitual, though not of necessity a very
strong, dislike; as, averse to active pursuits; averse to study. Reluctant, a term of the of the will, implies
an internal struggle as to making some sacrifice of interest or feeling; as, reluctant to yield; reluctant to
