[syn: toast, drink, pledge, salute, wassail]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
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 festive
occasion, especially in drinking to some one.
[1913 Webster]
Geoffrey of Monmouth relates, on the authority of
Walter Calenius, that this lady [Rowena], the
daughter of Hengist, knelt down on the approach of
the king, and, presenting him with a cup of wine,
exclaimed, Lord king waes heil, that is, literally,
Health be to you. --N. Drake.
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
The king doth wake to-night and takes his rouse,
Keeps wassail. --Shak.
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The victors abandoned themselves to feasting and
wassail. --Prescott.
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3. The liquor used for a wassail; esp., a beverage formerly
much used in England at Christmas and other festivals,
made of ale (or wine) flavored with spices, sugar, toast,
roasted apples, etc.; -- called also lamb's wool.
[1913 Webster]
A jolly wassail bowl,
A wassail of good ale. --Old Song.
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4. A festive or drinking song or glee. [Obs.]
[1913 Webster]
Have you done your wassail! 'T is a handsome, drowsy
ditty, I'll assure you. --Beau. & Fl.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
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 v.0.48:
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." --J. Fletcher.
"When the cloth was removed, the butler brought in a huge
silver vessel . . . Its appearance was hailed with
acclamation, being the wassail bowl so renowned in
Christmas festivity." --W. Irving.
Wassail cup, a cup from which wassail was drunk.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
wassail
n 1: a punch made of sweetened ale or wine heated with spices
and roasted apples; especially at Christmas
v 1: celebrate noisily, often indulging in drinking; engage in
uproarious festivities; "The members of the wedding party
made merry all night"; "Let's whoop it up--the boss is
gone!" [syn: revel, racket, make whoopie, make
merry, make happy, whoop it up, jollify, wassail]
2: propose a toast to; "Let us toast the birthday girl!"; "Let's
drink to the New Year" [syn: toast, drink, pledge,
salute, wassail]
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:
35 Moby Thesaurus words for "wassail":
bacchanal, bacchanalia, bacchanalian, bat, bender, binge, bout,
bust, carousal, carouse, celebration, compotation, debauch,
drinking bout, drunk, drunken carousal, frolic, guzzle, hell,
high jinks, jag, orgy, potation, pub-crawl, revel, revelment, riot,
roister, skylarking, soak, spree, symposium, tear, toot, whoopee