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]:
noun
1: 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
Define.com is a registered nonprofit corporation dedicated solely to the global public interest and the advancement of humanity. It belongs to all of us who have a desire to promote electronic democracy, science, creativity, imagination, reason, critical thinking, peace, race and gender equality, civil rights, equal access to education, personal liberty, free speech, animal rights, compassionate and nonviolent parenting, social and economic justice, global monetary reform, Secular Humanism, cognitive liberty and a permanent cessation of The War on Drugs.
Let's see what we can do if we put our heads together.
0