[a. Fr. averroncation (Cotgr., 1611), f. L. āverruncāre: see prec.]
1. prop. The warding off or averting (of evils).
1660. Stanley, Hist. Philos. (1701), 401/2. From these are sent to men, dreams and presages of sickness, and of health … to these pertain expiations and averruncations, and all Divinations.
1658. J. Robinson, Eudoxa, x. 52. Averruncation of Epidemical Diseases, by Telesmes.
2. improperly. (See quotations.)
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Averruncation, a scraping or cutting off, as men do vines.
1731. Bailey, Averruncation, a scraping, cutting off, a lopping off the superfluous branches of trees.
1755. Johnson, Averruncation, the act of rooting up any thing.
1821. De Quincey, Conf. (1862), 21. His decree of utter averruncation to the simple decoration overhead.
