avast
Language: English
Part of speech: intj
Pronunciation: ipa: /əˈvɑːst/
ipa: /-ˈvæst/
ipa: /əˈvæst/
rhymes: -ɑːst
rhymes: -æst
Etymology: Probably borrowed from Dutch hou vast, houd vast (“hold tight”), from houd (imperative of houden (“to hold”)) + vast (“fast, firm”).
Senses: examples: text: Then pull avvay, hoa up, hoa up, hoa up, ſo avaſt there, Sir.
ref: 1681, Thomas Otway, The Souldiers Fortune: A Comedy. […], London: […] R. Bentley and M. Magnes, […], →OCLC, Act IV, page 51:
text: Avaſt, brother, avaſt! ſheer off—Yo ho! you turnkey, vvhy don't you keep a better look out? here's one of your crazy priſoners broke from his laſhings, I do ſuppoſe.
ref: 1748, [Tobias Smollett], “I am Seized with a Deep Melancholy, and Become a Sloven […]”, in The Adventures of Roderick Random. […], volume II, London: […] [William Strahan] for J[ohn] Osborn […], →OCLC, page 305:
text: [T]he sail went into the water, and he could not drag it in. "Avast heaving," said Gascoigne, "till I throw her up and take the wind out of it."
ref: 1836, [Frederick Marryat], “In which our hero sets off on another cruise, in which he is not blown off shore”, in Mr. Midshipman Easy […], volume II, London: Saunders and Otley, […], →OCLC, page 87:
text: [S]he caught me as I was again trying to force the open the door. "I won't allow it; I won't have my premises spoiled. Go for the locksmith, there's one about a mile from here. But avast!" putting her hand in her side-pocket, "here's a key that'll fit, I guess; let's see." And with that, she turned it in the lock; but, alas! Queequeg's supplemental bolt remained unwithdrawn within.
ref: 1851 November 14, Herman Melville, “The Ramadan”, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC, page 93:
text: "Avast, there!" cried Silver. "Who are you, Tom Morgan? Maybe you thought you was cap'n here, perhaps. By the powers, but I'll teach you better![…]"
ref: 1881–1882, Robert Louis Stevenson, “In the Enemy’s Camp”, in Treasure Island, London; Paris: Cassell & Company, published 14 November 1883, →OCLC, part VI (Captain Silver), page 233:
text: "Avast there!" cried the captain, and as though to punctuate his remark he swung the heavy stick he usually carried full upon the back of Billy's head.
ref: 1914 October – 1916 July, Edgar Rice Burroughs, “Shanghaied”, in The Mucker, Chicago, Ill.: A[lexander] C[aldwell] McClurg & Co., published 31 October 1921, →OCLC, part I, page 15:
text: "That landlubber's stole me dog!" Armpit cried. "Avast, ye dog thief!" he roared to the man.
ref: 2008, Nadia Higgins, Avast, Ye Dog Thief! (Barnacle Barb & Her Pirate Crew), Edina, Minn.: Magic Wagon, ABDO Publishing Group, →ISBN:
topics: nautical
transport
synonyms: desist
stay
glosses: Hold fast!; cease!; stop!
examples: text: Avast, ye landlubbers!
text: [“Pirate Talk: How to Make It Work for You”, page 35] Avast—"Stop and give attention." It can be used in a sense of surprise: "Whoa! Get a load of that!" when a beautiful woman walks into the room. "Avast! Check out the bowsprit on that fine beauty!" you might say. […] [“Cap’n Slappy’s Practical Parrot Pointers”, page 166] Arrrr! Avast, Cap'n Slappy. Does ye know where the treasure of the Sierra Madre be buried? If ye don't tell me its whereabouts, I'll have to swing ye from the yardarm, matey.
ref: 2005 September, John Baur, Mark Summers, Piratitude! So You Wanna be a Pirate? Here’s How!, New York, N.Y.: New American Library, →ISBN, pages 35 and 166:
topics: nautical
transport
synonyms: word: avast [⇒ thesaurus]!
word: beware!
word: blackfriars!
word: cave!
word: cheese it!
word: heads up!
word: hey up!
word: hist!
word: look lively!
word: look out!
word: look sharp!
word: mind out!
word: namous!
word: take care!
word: ware!
word: watch it!
word: watch out!
glosses: In imitation of pirates: listen!; pay attention!
Synonyms: word: avast!
topics: nautical
transport
word: cut it out!
word: enough!
word: give it a break!
word: halt!
word: have done!
word: hold!
word: hold fast!
word: knock it off!
word: leave off!
word: not so fast!
word: soft
word: stay!
word: stop [⇒ thesaurus]!
word: whoa!
Related terms: word: desist