Word Meanings - WASSAIL - Book Publishers vocabulary database

dialect) be in health, which was the form of drinking a health. The 1. An ancient expression of good wishes on a festive occasion, especially in drinking to some one. Geoffrey of Monmouth relates, on the authority of Walter Calenius, that this

Additional info about word: WASSAIL

dialect) be in health, which was the form of drinking a health. The 1. An ancient expression of good wishes on a festive occasion, especially in drinking to some one. Geoffrey of Monmouth relates, on the authority of Walter Calenius, that this lady , the daughter of Hengist, knelt down on the approach of the king, and, presenting him with a cup of wine, exclaimed, Lord king wæs heil, that is, literally, Health be to you. N. Drake. 2. An occasion on which such good wishes are expressed in drinking; a drinking bout; a carouse. "In merry wassail he . . . peals his loud song." Sir W. Scott. The king doth wake to-night and takes his rouse, Keeps wassail. Shak. The victors abandoned themselves to feasting and wassail. Prescott. 3. The liquor used for a wassail; esp., a beverage formerly much used in England at Christmas and other festivals, made of ale flavored with spices, sugar, toast, roasted apples, etc.; -- called also lamb's wool. A jolly wassail bowl, A wassail of good ale. Old Song. 4. A festive or drinking song or glee. Have you done your wassail! 'T is a handsome, drowsy ditty, I'll assure you. Beau. & Fl.

Possible synonyms: (Same meaning words of WASSAIL)

• Revelry
• Carousal
• noisy
• festivity
• feast
• orgies
• wassail

Related words: (words related to WASSAIL)

• FEAST
  festival, F. fête, fr. L. festum, pl. festa, fr. festus joyful, 1. A festival; a holiday; a solemn, or more commonly, a joyous, anniversary. The seventh day shall be a feast to the Lord. Ex. xiii. 6. Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year
• NOISY
  1. Making a noise, esp. a loud sound; clamorous; vociferous; turbulent; boisterous; as, the noisy crowd. 2. Full of noise. "The noisy town." Dryden.
• ORGIES
  1. A sacrifice accompanied by certain ceremonies in honor of some pagan deity; especially, the ceremonies observed by the Greeks and Romans in the worship of Dionysus, or Bacchus, which were characterized by wild and dissolute revelry. As when,
• REVELRY
  The act of engaging in a revel; noisy festivity; reveling. And pomp and feast and revelry. Milton.
• CAROUSAL
  A jovial feast or festival; a drunken revel; a carouse. The swains were preparing for a carousal. Sterne. Syn. -- Banquet; revel; orgie; carouse. See Feast.
• FEASTER
  1. One who fares deliciously. 2. One who entertains magnificently. Johnson.
• WASSAIL
  dialect) be in health, which was the form of drinking a health. The 1. An ancient expression of good wishes on a festive occasion, especially in drinking to some one. Geoffrey of Monmouth relates, on the authority of Walter Calenius, that this
• FESTIVITY
  1. The condition of being festive; social joy or exhilaration of spirits at an entertaintment; joyfulness; gayety. The unrestrained festivity of the rustic youth. Bp. Hurd. 2. A festival; a festive celebration. Sir T. Browne.
• WASSAILER
  One who drinks wassail; one who engages in festivity, especially in drinking; a reveler. The rudeness and swilled insolence Of such late wassailers. Milton.
• FEASTFUL
  Festive; festal; joyful; sumptuous; luxurious. "Feastful days." Milton. -- Feast"ful*ly, adv.
• OUTFEAST
  To exceed in feasting.
• BULLFEAST
  See BULLFIGHT
• INFESTIVITY
  Want of festivity, cheerfulness, or mirth; dullness; cheerlessness.
• SMELL-FEAST
  1. One who is apt to find and frequent good tables; a parasite; a sponger. The epicure and the smell-feast. South. 2. A feast at which the guests are supposed to feed upon the odors only of the viands.