[Ads-l] "gavel" antedatings

[Ben Zimmer]

Thanks to Garson and Stephen for the cites from 1832 and 1837. Those cites
would appear to fit under OED's sense 1, which relates to the use of the
gavel in the ritual practices of the Freemasons and similar
fraternal groups like the Odd Fellows. See e.g. this OED3 cite:

1826   W. Morgan Illustr. Masonry 13   The Master..gives a rap with the
common gavel or mallet, which calls up both Deacons.

So far the 1843 example is the earliest I've seen for "gavel"/"gavil" in a
legislative or other extended context, which antedates OED's sense 2.

--Ben


On Tue, Jan 10, 2023 at 4:38 PM ADSGarson O'Toole <adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Here are two citations in the March 1837 issues of a periodical. In
> the first citation, the gavil is struck three times to call an
> assemblage to order.
>
> In the second citation, the gavil is struck three times to initiate
> the next stage of a ceremony.
>
> These citations might be transitional between the ‘Masonic ritual’
> sense and the ‘call for order’ sense.
>
> I cannot access SG’s citation, so I do not know if the gavil makes a
> sound in SG’s citation. The link contains proxy.lib.duke; hence it may
> only work for computers with Duke library access.
>
> Date: March 1837
> Volume 1, Number 4
> Periodical: The Covenant: A Quarterly Periodical Devoted to the Cause
> of Odd-Fellowship
> Quote Page 199
> https://books.google.com/books?id=NHo4AQAAIAAJ&q=%22the+gavil%22#v=snippet
>
> [Begin excerpt]
> The M.W.G. Master called the assemblage to order by three distinct
> sounds of the gavil, and the ceremonies of the day commenced by an
> interesting prayer offered up by the R.W. Grand Chaplain, P.G. Samuel
> Guest--after which a most beautiful anthem composed for the occasion
> by brother John H. Hewitt was exquisitely sung by a choir . . .
> [End excerpt]
>
> Quote Page 202
>
> [Begin excerpt]
> The procession will enter the Theatre covered; after they are all in
> and seated, the Grand Master will give three raps with the gavil, as a
> signal for them to uncover.
> [End excerpt]
>
> Garson
>
> On Tue, Jan 10, 2023 at 2:36 PM Ben Zimmer <bgzimmer at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > The OED3 entry for "gavel, n.3" has two senses, the first being "a type
> of
> > stonemason's hammer" as used in Masonic rituals, with cites from 1760.
> > Sense 2 is "a small hammer or mallet, typically made from wood, with
> which
> > a judge, chairperson, (later) auctioneer, etc., hits a surface to call
> for
> > attention or order, or to confirm a decision," with cites from Aug. 1848.
> > Here are a few antedatings for sense 2 -- note the variant spelling
> > "gavil," not given by the OED.
> >
> > ---
> > https://www.newspapers.com/clip/116154015/the-gavil-of-the-chair/
> > Daily Madisonian (Washington, DC), Feb. 15, 1843, p. 3, col. 1
> > Mr. Arnold was induced to say that, unless order was restored, the
> > Committee might as well rise at once. [...] The voice and the gavil of
> the
> > Chair partially produced this desirable result.
> > Same article in: Indiana State Sentinel, Feb. 28, 1843, p. 2, col. 2
> > https://www.newspapers.com/clip/116154090/the-gavil-of-the-chair/
> > ---
> >
> https://www.newspapers.com/clip/116149640/the-sound-of-the-speakers-gavil/
> > New York Herald, May 13, 1846, p. 4, col. 2
> > What else he may have said, was lost in the thunder tones of "order,"
> > "order," and the sound of the speaker's gavil.
> > [re: Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives]
> > ---
> >
> https://www.newspapers.com/clip/116149000/the-sound-of-the-speakers-gavel/
> > Baltimore Sun, Mar. 1, 1847, p. 4, col. 2
> > [T]he sentence was lost, from the sound of the Speaker's gavel, and his
> > call to order.
> > [re: Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates]
> > ---
> >
> > This research is for my Wall Street Journal column this week -- can
> anyone
> > find earlier cites?
> >
> > --bgz
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>

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