avanian.

Etymology: In common use in the Levant, but of uncertain language and origin; in Italian avania , Portuguese avania , French avanie , modern Greek ἀβανία , Arabic and Turkish awānī , also found as awārī (Devic), and in Bocthor ʿawān , and ʿawānia . See below. Also in 17th cent. anglicised as aveny n.The etymology of avania has been variously sought in Arabic, Persian, Turkish: see Devic, in Littré's Suppt., and G. P. Marsh, Notes & Additions to Wedgwood. The variant Arabic form awārī (whence English avaria , avarria , above) as well as original correspondence of meaning, suggests a connection with Italian avaría —see average n.²: in fact Mr. Marsh proposed the derivation of the latter from this word. But on the other hand, the various and uncertain forms of the word in Arabic may be merely adaptations of French avarie or Italian avaría, assimilated to native words or roots (e.g. awār oppression, injustice, hawān contempt, etc.) ‘The plural aavaniet is now in popular use in Syria, to express government exactions, the singular signifying aid, help, just as benevolence in Europe sometimes meant a compulsory tax’ (Marsh). The word has been adopted in Italian and Portuguese in the transferred sense: Italian avanía ‘an undeserved wrong, a secret grudge, an insulting injury’ (Florio); Portuguese avanía ‘wrong, injury’ (Vieyra).