Search Result for "wassail": 
Wordnet 3.0

NOUN (1)

1. a punch made of sweetened ale or wine heated with spices and roasted apples; especially at Christmas;


VERB (2)

1. celebrate noisily, often indulging in drinking; engage in uproarious festivities;
- Example: "The members of the wedding party made merry all night"
- Example: "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;
- Example: "Let us toast the birthday girl!"
- Example: "Let's drink to the New Year"
[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. [1913 Webster] The victors abandoned themselves to feasting and wassail. --Prescott. [1913 Webster] 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. [1913 Webster] 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