wassail

wassail
wassailer, n.
/wos"euhl, -ayl, was"-, wo sayl"/, n.
1. a salutation wishing health to a person, used in England in early times when presenting a cup of drink or when drinking to the person.
2. a festivity or revel with drinking of healths.
3. liquor for drinking and wishing health to others on festive occasions, esp. spiced ale, as on Christmas Eve and Twelfth-night.
4. Archaic. a song sung in wassailing.
v.i.
5. to revel with drinking.
v.t.
6. to drink to the health or success of; toast.
[1175-1225; ME was-hail, equiv. to was be (OE waes, var. of wes, impv. of wesan to be; akin to WAS) + hail HALE1, in good health ( < ON heill hale); r. OE waes hal be hale or whole. See WHOLE, HEAL]

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу
Synonyms:

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Wassail — is a hot, spiced punch often associated with Christmas. Particularly popular in Germanic countries, the term itself is a contraction of the Anglo Saxon term, wæs hæil, meaning, Be healthy .History of the drink While the beverage typically served… …   Wikipedia

  • Wassail — Was sail, a. Of or pertaining to wassail, or to a wassail; convivial; as, a wassail bowl. Awassail candle, my lord, all tallow. Shak. [1913 Webster] {Wassail bowl}, a bowl in which wassail was mixed, and placed upon the table. Spiced wassail bowl …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Wassail — Was sail, n. [AS. wes h[=a]l (or an equivalent form in another dialect) be in health, which was the form of drinking a health. The form wes is imperative. See {Was}, and {Whole}.] [1913 Webster] 1. An ancient expression of good wishes on a… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Wassail — Was sail, v. i. To hold a wassail; to carouse. [1913 Webster] Spending all the day, and good part of the night, in dancing, caroling, and wassailing. Sir P. Sidney. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • wassail — [n] celebration bash*, blast*, blowout*, carousal, ceremony, festival, festivity, frolic, gala, hoopla, hullabaloo*, joviality, jubilee, merriment, merrymaking, party, revelry, shindig*, spree, wingding*; concept 377 wassail [v] celebrate, toast… …   New thesaurus

  • wassail — mid 12c., from O.N. ves heill be healthy, a salutation, from ves, imperative of vesa to be (see WAS (Cf. was)) + heill healthy (see HEALTH (Cf. health)). Use as a drinking phrase appears to have arisen among Danes in England and spread to native… …   Etymology dictionary

  • wassail — archaic ► NOUN 1) spiced ale or mulled wine drunk during celebrations for Twelfth Night and Christmas Eve. 2) lively festivities involving the drinking of much alcohol. ► VERB 1) make merry with much alcohol. 2) go from house to house at… …   English terms dictionary

  • wassail — [wäs′əl, was′əl; wäs′āl΄, was′āl΄] n. [ME, earlier wæs hæil < ON ves heill, lit., be hale, be hearty (replacing OE wes hal, lit., be whole)] 1. a salutation formerly given in drinking the health of a person, as at a festivity 2. the spiced ale …   English World dictionary

  • wassail — 1. noun a) A toast to health, usually at a festival. b) The beverage served during a wassail. 2. verb a) To toast, to …   Wiktionary

  • wassail — UK [ˈwɒseɪl] / US [ˈwɑsl] / US [ˈwɑˌseɪl] verb [intransitive] Word forms wassail : present tense I/you/we/they wassail he/she/it wassails present participle wassailing past tense wassailed past participle wassailed an old word meaning to… …   English dictionary

  • wassail — I. noun Etymology: Middle English wæs hæil, washayl, from Old Norse ves heill be well, from ves (imperativesingular of vera to be) + heill healthy more at was, whole Date: 12th century 1. an early English toast to someone s health 2. a hot drink… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”