‖ avant-
(əˈvɑːnt, -æ-, avɑ̃)
[F. avant before, cogn. with Pr. avant, It. avanti:—L. abante, f. ab from + ante before. See avaunt. The t, which was pronounced in OF., was retained much longer in English. In words in early use ava(u)nt was worn down to vant-, van-, and sometimes to vaw-, va-.]
In a few combinations, partly French, partly hybrid; as † avantalour [AFr.], one who goes before; † avant-darter, transl. L. antepīlānus; avant-fossé [Fr.], the ditch on the outer side of a counterscarp, dug at the foot of the glacis; avant-peach [F. avant-pêche], an early variety of peach. See also avant-brace, -courier, etc.
| 1601 Tate Househ. Ord. Ed. II, §90 Their shalbe a foregoer [F. avantalour] in the kinges houshold..No man shalbe avant alour who hath forjured the Court. 1600 Holland Livy viii. viii. 286 This battaillon..they called Antepilani (avant-darters). 1611 Cotgr., Avant-pesche, th' Auant-peach or hastie peach. 1719 London & Wise Compl. Gard. 283 The Avant Peaches, or Forward Peaches. |