AVOW', verb transitive [Latin voveo.] 1. To declare openly, with a view to justify, maintain or defend; or simply to own, acknowledge or confess frankly; as, a man avows his principles or his crimes. 2. In law, to acknowledge and justify; as when the distrainer of goods defends in an action of replevin, and avows the taking, but insists that such taking was legal. AVOW', noun A vow or determination. [Not used.]
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI