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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Wassail \Was"sail\, noun [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}.]
1. An ancient expression of good wishes on a festive occasion, especially in drinking to some one.
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 w[ae]s heil, that is, literally, Health be to you. --N. Drake.
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.
The king doth wake to-night and takes his rouse, Keeps wassail. --Shak.
The victors abandoned themselves to feasting and wassail. --Prescott.
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}.
A jolly wassail bowl, A wassail of good ale. --Old Song.
4. A festive or drinking song or glee. [Obs.]
Have you done your wassail! 'T is a handsome, drowsy ditty, I'll assure you. --Beau. & Fl.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Wassail \Was"sail\, verb (used without an object) To hold a wassail; to carouse.
Spending all the day, and good part of the night, in dancing, caroling, and wassailing. --Sir P. Sidney.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Wassail \Was"sail\, adjective Of or pertaining to wassail, or to a wassail; convivial; as, a wassail bowl. ''Awassail candle, my lord, all tallow.'' --Shak.
{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.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
wassail
noun: a punch made of sweetened ale or wine heated with spices and roasted apples; especially at Christmas
verb
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
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