prop. n. [ L. Agave, prop. name, fr. Gr. 'agayh`, fem. of 'agayo`s illustrious, noble. ] (Bot.) A genus of plants (order Amaryllidaceae) of which the chief species is the maguey or century plant (Agave Americana), wrongly called Aloe. It takes from ten to seventy years, according to climate, to attain maturity, when it produces a gigantic flower stem, sometimes forty feet in height, and perishes. The juice has purgative and diuretic properties. The fermented juice is the pulque of the Mexicans; distilled, it yields mescal. A strong thread and a tough paper are made from the leaves, and the wood has many uses. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Disgaveled r Disgaveled; p. pr. & vb. n. Disgaveling. ] [ See Gavelkind. ] (Eng. Law) To deprive of that principal quality of gavelkind tenure by which lands descend equally among all the sons of the tenant; -- said of lands. Burrill. [ 1913 Webster ]

imp. of Forgive. [ 1913 Webster ]

imp. of Give. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. gavelle, F. javelle, prob. dim. from L. capulus handle, fr. capere to lay hold of, seize; or cf. W. gafael hold, grasp. Cf. Heave. ] A small heap of grain, not tied up into a bundle. Wright. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A gable. [ Prov. Eng. ] Halliwell. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Etymol. uncertain. ] 1. The mallet of the presiding officer in a legislative body, public assembly, court, masonic body, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A mason's setting maul. Knight. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. gavel, AS. gafol, prob. fr. gifan to give. See Give, and cf. Gabel tribute. ] (Law) Tribute; toll; custom. [ Obs. ] See Gabel. Cowell. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From Gavel tribute. ] (O. Eng. Law) An ancient special kind of cessavit used in Kent and London for the recovery of rent. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. gavelkynde, gavelkende. See Gavel tribute, and Kind, n. ] (O. Eng. Law) A tenure by which land descended from the father to all his sons in equal portions, and the land of a brother, dying without issue, descended equally to his brothers. It still prevails in the county of Kent. Cowell. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Same as Gavelock. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. gaveloc a dart, AS. gafeluc; cf. Icel. gaflok, MHG. gabil&unr_;t, OF. gavelot, glavelot, F. javelot, Ir. gabhla spear, W. gaflach fork, dart, E. glave, gaff ] 1. A spear or dart. [ R. & Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An iron crow or lever. [ Scot. & North of Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) The European red gurnard (Trigla cuculus). [ Prov. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

(O. Eng. Law) A gavel or rent paid for a privilege, as of fishing, in some river or water. [ 1913 Webster ]