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vaward. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
vaward, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
vaward in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
vaward you have here. The definition of the word
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vaward, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English vawarde, late form of vantwarde, aphetism of Anglo-Norman avantwarde, a variant of Old French avant-guarde. Doublet of avant-garde and vanguard.
Pronunciation
Noun
vaward (plural vawards)
- The vanguard.
1485, Sir Thomas Malory, chapter X, in Le Morte Darthur, book II:THenne kyng Arthur made redy his hoost in x batails and Nero was redy in the felde afore the castel Tarabil with a grete hoost / & he had x batails with many mo peple than Arthur had / Thenne Nero had the vaward with the moost party of his peple / & merlyn cam to kyng lot of the yle of Orkeney- THEN King Arthur made ready his host in ten battles and Nero was ready in the field afore the Castle Terrabil with a great host, and he had ten battles, with many more people than Arthur had. Then Nero had the vanguard with the most part of his people, and Merlin came to King Lot of the Isle of Orkney
1988, Anthony Burgess, Any Old Iron:Then they were marched off to the railway station with the band in the vaward playing ‘Have you ever caught your ballocks in a rat trap?’
Adjective
vaward (not comparable)
- On or towards the front; vanward.