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augur

 [aw-ger]   Example Sentences Origin

au·gur

1   [aw-ger]
noun
1.
one of a group of ancient Roman officials charged with observing and interpreting omens for guidance in public affairs.
2.
soothsayer; prophet.
verb (used with object)
3.
to divine or predict, as from omens; prognosticate.
4.
to serve as an omen or promise of; foreshadow; betoken: Mounting sales augur a profitable year.

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Augur is one of our favorite verbs.
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to expurgate (a written work) by removing or modifying passages considered vulgar or objectionable.
to bark; yelp.
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verb (used without object)
5.
to conjecture from signs or omens; predict.
6.
to be a sign; bode: The movement of troops augurs ill for the peace of the area.
Origin:
1540–50; < Latin augur (variant of auger) a diviner, soothsayer, derivative of augēre to augment with orig. implication of “prosper”; compare august
Example Sentences
  • Increases in temporary workers and the work week typically augur growth in permanent staffing.
  • The big driver is rising buyer sentiment, which could augur more robust retail sales than predicted.
  • It is an augur of time and occasion.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged

au·gur

2   [aw-ger] Western U.S.
verb (used without object)
1.
to argue, talk, or converse.
noun
2.
an excessively talkative person.
Origin:
1920–25; metathetic variant of argue; noun perhaps by association with auger
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source Link To augur
Collins
World English Dictionary
augur (ˈɔːɡə)
 
—n
1.  Also called: auspex (in ancient Rome) a religious official who observed and interpreted omens and signs to help guide the making of public decisions
2.  any prophet or soothsayer
 
—vb
3.  to predict (some future event), as from signs or omens
4.  (tr; may take a clause as object) to be an omen (of); presage
5.  (intr) to foreshadow future events to be as specified; bode: this augurs well for us
 
[C14: from Latin: a diviner, perhaps from augēre to increase]
 
augural
 
—adj
 
'augurship
 
—n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

augur
1540s, from L. augur, a religious official in ancient Rome who foretold events by interpreting omens, perhaps originally meaning "an increase in crops enacted in ritual," in which case it probably is from Old L. *augos (gen. *augeris) "increase," and is related to augere "increase" (see
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augment). The more popular theory is that it is from L. avis "bird," since the flights, singing, and feeding of birds, along with entrails from bird sacrifices, were important objects of divination (cf. auspicious). The second element would be from garrire "to talk." The verb is c.1600, from the noun.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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