feast Hear it!

feast Definition

feast (fēst)

noun

  1. a celebration or festival; esp., a periodic religious celebration, as in honor of God or a saint
  2. a rich and elaborate meal; banquet
  3. anything that gives pleasure because of its abundance or richness; special treat

Etymology: ME feste < OFr < VL festa < pl. of L festum, festival < festus, festal, joyful, orig., of days for religious observance: see fair

intransitive verb

  1. to eat a rich, elaborate meal
  2. to have a special treat

Etymology: ME festen < OFr fester < the n.

transitive verb

  1. to entertain at a feast or banquet
  2. to gratify or delight as with a feast feast your eyes on this!

feast Related Forms
feast′er noun
feast Synonyms

feast

n.

banquet, entertainment, festivity, festival, treat, repast, refreshment, carousal, wassail, merrymaking, carnival, fiesta, jollification, barbecue, carouse, picnic, spread*; see also celebration 2, meal 2.

feast Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • celebrate: The Sacred Heart of Jesus On Friday the 22nd of June we will celebrate the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
  • prepare: Head chef Will Hay has called upon all his culinary skills to prepare a feast of dishes for all lovers of good food.

Noun used with modifier

  • Passover: Herod planned to bring Peter before the people for trial after the Passover Feast.
  • midnight: This can be a welcome midnight feast for your rabbit.
  • cannibal: On 30th December the party, much stronger after their cannibal feast, set off again.
  • gourmet: St Malo offers a host of delicious recipes, from the traditional meal of pancakes and cider to prestigious gourmet feasts.
  • celebratory: Baal serves a celebratory feast on Mount Zephon, the " Heights of the North " .
  • wedding: Seven years later, true to his word, uncle prepared the wedding feast.

Adjective modifier

  • veritable: A Free Service For any news junkie it's a veritable feast.
  • moveable: Thus another finished plate is cleared away from the table of that great moveable feast, language.
  • sumptuous: The day was rounded off with a sumptuous Malaysian feast with a local family.
  • solemn: He had sought rest for his awakened soul in vain, even in Jerusalem at their solemn feasts.
  • gastronomic: Orta's response was to persuade a famous chef to turn the leftover food into a gastronomic feast and invite passers-by to eat it.
  • festive: Festive Feast - ( a selection of hot & cold dishes £ 19.95 per person ).

Followed by an intransitive particle

  • upon: Of the corn which others may or may not grow, I cannot be sure to feast upon.

Preposition: of

  • Passover: The first of them came on the evening of 3 April 1996, which was the beginning of the Feast of Passover.
  • booth: The feast of Booths was celebrated on the second of the seventh month.
  • baptism: Holy Cross Newsletter: SUNDAY JANUARY 12TH 2003 THE FEAST OF THE BAPTISM OF JESUS.

Preposition: for

  • eye: In every respect, this game is a visual triumph, truly a feast for the eyes.
feast Quotes

A feast ismade for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.

—Bible (Old Testament)

Life should serve up its feast of experience in a series of courses.

—Golding, Sir William (Gerald)

Still to be neat, still to be drest, As you were going to a feast; Still to be powdered, still perfumed, Lady, it is to be presumed, Though art's hid causes are not found, All is not sweet, all is not sound. Give me a look, give me a face, That makes simplicity a grace; Robes loosely flowing, hair as free: Such sweet neglect more taketh me, Than all the adulteries of art; They strike mine eyes, but not my heart.

—Jonson, Ben

Are these the choice dishes the Doctor has sent us? Is this the great poet whose works so content us? This Goldsmith's fine feast, who has written fine books? Heaven sends us fine meat, but the Devil sends cooks.

—Garrick, David

An improper mind is a perpetual feast.

—Smith, Logan Pearsall

A fig for those by law protected! Liberty's a glorious feast! Courts for Cowards were erected, Churches built to please the Priest.

—Burns, Robert

When I would make a feast I would my guests should praise it, not the cooks.

—Harington, SirJohn