GAVEL

gavel (gav-[schwa]l). 1. Hist. A tribute, toll, or custom paid to a superior. 2. Hist. An annual payment of rent or revenue, esp. payment in kind, such as gavel-corn, gavel-malt, or oat-gavel. — Sometimes spelled gabel. 3. A mallet used by a presiding officer, often a judge, to bring a meeting or court to order.