A gavel's a small ceremonial mallet commonly made of hardwood, typically fashioned with a handle and often struck against a sound block to enhance its sounding qualities. It's a symbol of the authority and right to act officially in the capacity of a chair or presiding officer rather, the chair should give one vigorous tap at a time at intervals. Demeter's Manual notes that, in addition to an optional light tap after a vote, there're three other uses of a gavel: To attract attention and call a m… (More on Gavel)