You may find this stupid. But, does Avast and Alwil have a specific meaning ? in Czech language may be ? ??? ???
No, it does not have any special meaning in Czech…
Actually avast has its own meaning in english - here is the quote from Merriam-Webster dictionary:
avast – a nautical command to stop or cease
Etymology: perhaps from Dutch houd vast hold fast
Date: 1681
Pavel
So although avast! stops viruses, it is also widely used by pirates (and their parrots) all over the world 
ok, i am dutch 
the dutch “houd vast” does not translate to “hold fast”, hold maybe, but not fast. fast in english means high speed. “houd vast” translates best to “hold” or “hold on to”. I did a search on old dutch language and avast and the only hit I got was an old verison of “alvast” meaning “on forehand”, or “in advance”
completely off-topic, but interesting ;D
Peter
I did not know that… :
thanx Pavel. ;D
BTW, what about the meaning of Alwil? ???
Actually, I believe the word avast is more like a pirate slang thing.
Have seen the latest Hollywood pirate movie (with Johnny Depp)? The word has been used there, I think, even multiple times.
Avast Ye Swabbies!!! ;D
Vlk
Haha Minacross, nice question mate ! ;D
Well, I’m Dutch speaking also, and i never heard the word “Avast” in normal conversations or something else at all, lol.
It maybe true it means “hold fast” in Englisch,but it certainly can’t be translated in Dutch to “houd vast” > it’s something complete different like Trigger said.
But hey, what the heck ! > I won’t loose sleep over it. 
Waldo
Always thought AVAST! was an acronym for Anti-Virus And SomeThing!
Sorry, not real clever with acronyms, not even real sure I can spell it.
Maybe someone can come up with something better and appropriate. Have a name game contest! I’m sure this idea is as clever as my acronym, but good question Minacross, I had wondered about the name (but was afraid to ask).
Hey…
I think we have all been on this forum to long. We are loosing it. ;D hahaha
The slang Avast actually does come from the nautical days of yesteryear. One of its’ many uses was when a mariner wished to get the attention of others, and used to preceed a ‘warning’…such as "Avast! …rough sea ahead ", or alerting one to “beware”. Befitting of an anti-virus program. Don’t you all think?
As for Alwil…
I think I have been answering too many posts lately so…
A_will go to bed now. hahahaha
Nite.
:o
Thanks for your question minacross…
Don´t you think we lost too much time to read this forum?
This is an example of what makes English such a bitch to learn. Indeed, fast has the meaning cited by Trigger, but in the phrase “hold fast” it means “in place” or “securely.”
Did not know that… That would make it a translation that makes sense then…
Peter
Source: Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Avast \A*vast", interj. [Corrupted from D. houd vast hold fast.
See Hold, v. t., and Fast, a.] (Naut.)
Cease; stop; stay. ``Avast heaving.‘’ --Totten.
I think it should stand for ‘A’ 'V’ery 'A’ble 'S’oftware 'T’eam : Now am I a crwler or what ;D
“Fast” in english, also perversely means STUCK !
Lovely language we have here, isnt it ?
Fast: to abstain from food. (English)
Walker wins the name contest with ‘A’ 'V’ery 'A’ble 'S’oftware 'T’eam. You win a free license for avast! Home Edition for a year! (Valid for noncommercial, nonprofit use only). Write VLK to claim your prize.
Thank you Jarron, will that include free hickups… oops I meant updates for a whole year <didn’t mean it Avast team>
Hope I haven’t missed it above, but you can also have a ‘fast’ woman not that I would know anything about that :-X . Just wondering if I should edit that comment and perhaps re-phrase 8)
here is a definition i found.
Stop: used by sailors as a command to stop doing something or to ignore a previous order.
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