Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun An imposition by the (Turkish) government; compulsory tax; government exaction; “aid,” “benevolence” (Marsh); specifically (as applied by Christians), an extortionate exaction or tax levied by the Turks.
  • noun An imposition or tax levied by Turkish officials on merchants; as generally considered, an extortionate tax.

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word avania.

Examples

  • I had to combat against this story at almost every place, but I was nowhere so rudely received as at this village, where I escaped ill treatment only by assuming a very imposing air, and threatening with many oaths, that if I lost a single hair of my beard, the Pasha would levy an avania of many purses on the village.

    Travels in Syria and the Holy Land 1822

  • I had to combat against this story at almost every place, but I was nowhere so rudely received as at this village, where I escaped ill treatment only by assuming a very imposing air, and threatening with many oaths, that if I lost a single hair of my beard, the Pasha would levy an avania of many purses on the village.

    Travels in Syria and the Holy Land 1822

  • I had to combat against this story at almost every place, but I was nowhere so rudely received as at this village, where I escaped ill treatment only by assuming a very imposing air, and threatening with many oaths, that if I lost a single hair of my beard, the Pasha would levy an avania of many purses on the village.

    Travels in Syria and the Holy Land John Lewis Burckhardt 1800

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.