British Judges Do Not Use Gavels
A gavel is a small hammer used to call order. Despite what television suggests, it has no place in an English courtroom.
A gavel is a small ceremonial hammer struck to call for order or mark a decision. Every courtroom drama shows a British judge banging one, and it is entirely fictional: gavels have never been used in English or Welsh courts. They are standard in American courts, in auction houses everywhere and in many committee rooms. The word is American, first recorded in the 1800s, of uncertain origin.
- A small hammer. *He banged the gavel.*
- An auctioneer's hammer. *Under the gavel.*
- To bring to order. *Gavelled the room to silence.*
- Sold — the auction call. *Going, going, gone.*
- Not used in British courts. *A television invention.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | gavel | A wooden gavel. |
| Plural | gavels | Two gavels. |
| Verb | gavel | Gavel it through. |
| Phrase | under the gavel | Sold under the gavel. |
| Related | mallet | A mallet. |
- The auctioneer's gavel came down.Auction.
- The chair gavelled the meeting to order.Committee.
- English judges have never used one.Correction.
Courtroom myths from television
- Gavels — not used in English or Welsh courts
- Objection, hearsay — American procedure, not British wording
- Taking the stand — British witnesses go to the witness box
- Your Honour — English High Court judges are My Lord or My Lady
- The bar — a real thing, but not the wooden rail of the films
American English, recorded from the 1800s, of uncertain origin. An unrelated Old English *gafol* meant tribute or rent.
Do British judges use gavels?
No. Gavels have never been used in English or Welsh courts, despite their constant appearance on television.
Where are gavels actually used?
In American courts, in auction houses, and in many committee and assembly chambers.