Emily Dickinson Lexicon

avarice, n. [OFr < L. 'greedy'.] (webplay: covet, gaining, sweetest).

Possessiveness; jealousy; vigilance; watchfulness; desire to keep for oneself; hope of hoarding something valuable; [fig.] emotional attachment; sorrow of parting; reluctance to let someone go.

avenge, v. [OFr < L. vindicāre, to claim as one's own; see vindicate, v.] (webplay: revenge).

Retaliate; counter; strike back; punish justly; gain satisfaction from inflicting justice.

avenging, verbal adv. [see vindicate, v.]

In retaliation; with a vengeance; [fig.] forcefully; with intensity.

aver (averring), v. [Fr. < L. vērus, true.]

Confirm; affirm; prove; substantiate; declare the truth.

averse, adj. [L. a, from + vertěre, turn.] (webplay: abhorrence, water).

Unwilling; disinclined; reluctant; not interested in.

avocation, n. [L. ab, off + vocāre, call.] (webplay: life).

Hobby; recreation; diversion of thoughts.

avoid (avoided), v. [OFr vuit, empty.] (webplay: death, escape, evade).

1. Elude; run away from; prevent the arrival of.
2. Eschew; refuse; shun; resist; abstain from; refrain from.

avowing, verbal n. [OFr; see vow, v.]

Courting; wooing; pledging; declaration; confession; open promise; acknowledging one's own; [fig.] singing; birdsong.

await (awaited, awaiting), v. [ONFr 'lie in wait for, watch, observe'; see wait, v.] (webplay: night).

1. Anticipate; expect; look forward to.
2. Be available to; be ready for; be in store for.
3. Abide; continue; linger; remain; stay; tarry; keep vigil.

awake, adj. [see wake, v.] (webplay: arise, bestir, dead, life, light, rise, sleep).

1. Fully conscious; totally aware; not dreaming; [fig.] fixed in a permanent state; not in a temporary state.
2. Living; physically functioning.
3. Sentient; moveable; able to feel; capable of movement; subject to sensation.
4. Active; stimulated; in motion.
5. Not sleeping; [fig.] vigilant.
6. Resurrected; renewed; revived from death.