Wassail

5 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  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]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  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]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  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]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  wassail
       n : 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}]
       2: propose a toast to; "Let us toast the birthday girl!";
          "Let's drink to the New Year" [syn: {toast}, {drink}, {pledge},
           {salute}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  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