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aven

nothingness; vanity. (1.) Hosea speaks of the “high places of Aven” (10:8), by which he means Bethel. He also calls it Beth-aven, i.e., “the house of vanity” (4:15), on account of the golden calves Jeroboam had set up there (1 Kings 12:28). (2.) Translated by the LXX. “On” in Ezek. 30:17. The Egyptian Heliopolis or city of On (q.v.). (3.) In Amos 1:5 it denotes the Syrian Heliopolis, the modern Baalbec.

Historical Examples

Before we could reply he said: “I bet you are the two boys from the aven.”
Where Strongest Tide Winds Blew Robert McReynolds

When ’tis an aven thing in th’ prayin’, may th’ best man win.
Mr. Dooley in Peace and in War Finley Peter Dunne

aven whin Oi lay chlose to yez an’ ye began to untoie me bonds Oi couldn’t suspict it was yersilf.
Frank Merriwell’s Pursuit Burt L. Standish

The home voyage of the aven was fraught with all the dangers of the sea.
Where Strongest Tide Winds Blew Robert McReynolds

He drew it towards him, and wrote, “A man has just left me, who calls himself aven —” in the middle of the name his pen stopped.
Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 68, No. 421, November 1850 Various

Once in port, no more would we walk the deck of the aven of Aberdeen.
Where Strongest Tide Winds Blew Robert McReynolds

Thin she paused for a moment, thin to herself she muttered, ‘But I got aven wid him oneway.’
The Comstock Club Charles Carroll Goodwin

If he was aven Injun clean through you could a little, maybe.
The Price of the Prairie Margaret Hill McCarter

It’s as good as done this minit, an’ there’s such good times comin’ for all of us, it’s not aven the quane we’ll be envyin’.
The Misfit Christmas Puddings The Consolation Club

And paple are not as liberal as they used to be, aven at Christmas time.
The White Christmas and other Merry Christmas Plays Walter Ben Hare