[syn: lionize, lionise, celebrate]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Celebrate \Cel"e*brate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Celebrated; p.
pr. & vb. n. Celebrating.] [L. celebratus, p. p. of
celebrare to frequent, to celebrate, fr. celeber famous.]
1. To extol or honor in a solemn manner; as, to celebrate the
name of the Most High.
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2. To honor by solemn rites, by ceremonies of joy and
respect, or by refraining from ordinary business; to
observe duly; to keep; as, to celebrate a birthday.
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From even unto even shall ye celebrate your Sabbath.
--Lev. xxiii.
32.
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3. To perform or participate in, as a sacrament or solemn
rite; to solemnize; to perform with appropriate rites; as,
to celebrate a marriage.
Syn: To commemorate; distinguish; honor.
Usage: To Celebrate, Commemorate. We commemorate events
which we desire to keep in remembrance, when we recall
them by some special observace; as, to commemorate the
death of our Savior. We celebrate by demonstrations of
joy or solemnity or by appropriate ceremonies; as, to
celebrate the birthday of our Independence.
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We are called upon to commemorate a revolution
as surprising in its manner as happy in its
consequences. --Atterbury.
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Earth, water, air, and fire, with feeling glee,
Exult to celebrate thy festival. --Thomson.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
celebrate
v 1: behave as expected during of holidays or rites; "Keep the
commandments"; "celebrate Christmas"; "Observe Yom Kippur"
[syn: observe, celebrate, keep]
2: have a celebration; "They were feting the patriarch of the
family"; "After the exam, the students were celebrating"
[syn: celebrate, fete]
3: assign great social importance to; "The film director was
celebrated all over Hollywood"; "The tenor was lionized in
Vienna" [syn: lionize, lionise, celebrate]