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Origin and history of avocation

avocation(n.)

1610s, "a calling away from one's occupation;" 1640s, "that which calls one away from one's proper business," from Latin avocationem (nominative avocatio) "a calling away, distraction, diversion," noun of action from past-participle stem of avocare "to call off, call away," from ab "off, away from" (see ab-) + vocare "to call," which is related to vox (genitive vocis) "voice" (from PIE root *wekw- "to speak"). Commonly, but improperly, "one's regular business, vocation" (1660s). Earlier (1520s) in a legalistic sense "calling to a higher court."

But yield who will to their separation,
My object in living is to unite
My avocation and my vocation
As my two eyes make one in sight.
[Frost, "Two Tramps in Mud Time"]

also from 1610s

Entries linking to avocation

ab-

word-forming element meaning "away, from, from off, down," denoting disjunction, separation, departure; from Latin ab (prep.) "off, away from" in reference to space or distance, also of time, from PIE root *apo- "off, away" (also the source of Greek apo "off, away from, from," Sanskrit apa "away from," Gothic af, English of, off; see apo-).

The Latin word also denoted "agency by; source, origin; relation to, in consequence of." Since classical times usually reduced to a- before -m-, -p-, or -v-; typically abs- before -c-, -q-, or -t-.

*wekw-

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to speak."

It might form all or part of: advocate; avocation; calliope; convocation; epic; equivocal; equivocation; evoke; invoke; provoke; revoke; univocal; vocabulary; vocal; vocation; vocative; vociferate; vociferous; voice; vouch; vox; vowel.

It might also be the source of: Sanskrit vakti "speaks, says," vacas- "word;" Avestan vac- "speak, say;" Greek eipon (aorist) "spoke, said," epos "word;" Latin vocare "to call," vox "voice, sound, utterance, language, word;" Old Prussian wackis "cry;" German er-wähnen "to mention."

a-(2)

word-forming element meaning "away," from Latin a "off, of, away from," the usual form of Latin ab before consonants (see ab-). As in avert, avocation. It is also the a in a priori and the à in Thomas à Kempis, Thomas à Becket.

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    c. 1400, hobi, "small, active horse," short for hobyn (mid-14c.; late 13c. in Anglo-Latin), probably originally a proper name for a horse (compare dobbin), a diminutive of Robert or Robin. Old French hobi, hobin, once considered possible sources, now are held to be borrowings fro
    pursuit
    late 14c., "persecution" (a sense now obsolete), also "a chase with hostile intent," from Anglo-French purseute, pursuite, Old French porsuite "a search, pursuit" (14c., Modern French poursuite), from porsivre (see pursue). Meaning "action of following briskly for the purpose of
    sideline
    also side-line, "line extending along or attached to the side of anything," 1768; see side (adj.) + line (n.). The specific sense of "line marking the limits of playing area" (on a football field, etc.) is by 1862. The meaning "course of business aside from one's regular occupati
    Micawber
    It is not an avocation of a remunerative description — in other words it does not pay — and some temporary embarrassments...
    hobbyhorse
    Transferred sense of "favorite pastime or avocation" first recorded 1670s (shortened to hobby by 1816)....
    pastime
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    interest
    mid-15c., "legal claim or right; a concern; a benefit, advantage, a being concerned or affected (advantageously)," from Old French interest "damage, loss, harm" (Modern French intérêt), from noun use of Latin interest "it is of importance, it makes a difference," third person sin
    activity
    c. 1400, "active or secular life," from Old French activité, from Medieval Latin activitatem (nominative activitas), a word in Scholastic philosophy, from Latin activus "active" (see active). The meaning "state of being active, briskness, liveliness" is recorded from 1520s; that
    collateral
    late 14c., "accompanying, attendant" (especially as an auxiliary), also "descended from the same stock but in a different line" (distinguished from lineal), from Old French collateral (13c.), from Medieval Latin collateralis "accompanying," literally "side by side," from assimila
    fob
    1650s, "men's small waist pocket for valuables," of uncertain origin, probably related to Low German fobke "pocket," High German fuppe "pocket," "a dialectal word used in Livonia" [Klein]. Meaning "chain or ornament attached to a watch carried in the fob" is by 1888, shortened fr

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