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Glite Dictionary
🔨 A wooden mallet 🔨 To call to order
to gavel

to gavel

3 6.2
To use a small wooden hammer to call a meeting to order or to end it
  • verb
  • /ˈɡævəl/
translation icon : golpear el mazo
  • On the upper dais, Dodge gavels...
  • gaveled the session
  • gaveled the hearing
  • gaveled to a close

Examples

  • Senator Kay Juarez Sommers of New Mexico, chair of the committee, gaveled the hearing into order.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • He gaveled, and another chapter was written in jurisprudence.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • Dodge gavels the meeting to order.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • When the House reconvened, a tension hung in the air as Moore gaveled in the session and called on Rep. Carter to address the House.

    Blog text (8)

  • Similarly, at another meeting attended by about 200 people, the chairman gaveled the proceedings closed before allowing public comment; the cascade of protests on BECCnet led to a public apology and a binding modification of the procedures for such comment.

    Academic text (1998)

  • The judge gaveled the court into session after the break.

  • After hearing all the opinions, the chairperson gaveled the meeting to a close.

  • When the time was up, the speaker gaveled to end the discussion.

Synonyms

to wrap a meeting
vsto gavel
2 3.2

To finish a meeting so everyone can leave

involves ending or starting meetings by striking an object rather than just concluding verbally
to gavel to order
vsto gavel
  • Formal
1 7.8

To hit a small wooden hammer to start a meeting

also ends meetings and not only starts them with the same striking action
to ring the gong
vsto gavel
1 6.3

Hit a gong to show the start or end of an event

is used specifically for meetings rather than general events

Antonyms

to adjourn
  • Formal
81 5.3

Stop a meeting for a short time to continue later

Phrasal Verbs

to gavel to order
  • Formal
1 7.8

To hit a small wooden hammer to start a meeting

Surface Forms

gavel infinitive
gaveled past
gaveled past participle
gaveling present participle
gavels third person singular

Etymology

Gavel as a verb comes from the same idea of the small hammer used in meetings and courts. To 'gavel' a meeting is to use that hammer to bring people to order or to end the session, so the verb simply means to start or finish by striking the gavel.