gavel

Definition of gavel

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ˈgavəl/

Etymology 1

Old English gafol.

Noun

gavel (plural gavels)

1. (historical) Rent.
2. (obsolete) Usury; interest on money.

Noun

gavel (plural gavels)

1. A wooden mallet, used by a judge in a courtroom, or a chairman of a committee, struck against a sounding block to quiet the rabble down.
2. (figuratively) The legal system as a whole.

Verb

to gavel (third-person singular simple present gavels, present participle gavelling, simple past and past participle gavelled)

1. To use a gavel.
   
   The judge gavelled for order in the courtroom after the defendent burst out with a confession.

Usage notes

• In US English, the participles are typically spelled "gaveled" and "gaveling".

Further reading

A gavel is a small ceremonial mallet commonly made of hardwood, typically fashioned with a handle and often struck against a sound block to enhance its sounding qualities. <img src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b2/CourtGavel.JPG/300px-CourtGavel.JPG" height="100" width="100" align="right">It is a symbol of the authority and right to act officially in the capacity of a chair or presiding officer. It is used to call for attention or to punctuate rulings and proclamations. It is customarily struck to indicate the opening (call to order) and closing (adjournment) of proceedings, giving rise to the phrase gavel-to-gavel to describe the entirety of a meeting or session, and to indicate that an item has been sold in an auction. It is also commonly used in United States courts by judges.

Proper use

Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised provides guidelines on the proper use of the gavel in deliberative assemblies in the USA. For instance, the chair is never to use the gavel in an attempt to drown out a disorderly member; rather, the chair should give one vigorous tap at a time at intervals. The chair should not lean on the gavel, juggle or toy with it, or use it to challenge or threaten or to emphasize remarks. The prohibited practice of a chair cutting off members' right to debate or introduce secondary motions by quickly putting a question to vote before any member can get the floor is referred to as "gaveling through" a measure.

Demeter's Manual notes that, in addition to an optional light tap after a vote, there are three other uses of a gavel:

1. To attract attention and call a meeting to order. In most organizations, two raps raise and one rap seats the assembly; in others, two raps raise and three raps seat it.
2. To maintain order and restore it when breached in the course of the proceedings. (Rap the gavel once, but vigorously.)
3. To be handed over to successors in office or to officiating officers as ceremonials, etc. (Always extend the holding end.)