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Wassail definition

wŏsəl, wŏ-sāl
wassails
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Frequency:
A festivity characterized by much drinking.
noun
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To drink to the health of; toast.
verb
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To engage in or drink a wassail.
verb
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To engage in or drink a wassail.
verb
3
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A salutation formerly given in drinking the health of a person, as at a festivity.
noun
3
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The spiced ale or other liquor with which such healths were drunk.
noun
3
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To drink wassails.
verb
3
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(brit.) To go caroling from house to house at Christmastime.
verb
3
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To drink to the health or prosperity of.
verb
3
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To drink to the health of; toast.
verb
3
1
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A celebration with much drinking, esp. at Christmastime; carousal.
noun
2
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A toast to health, usually at a festival.
noun
2
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noun
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A salutation or toast given in drinking someone's health or as an expression of goodwill at a festivity.
noun
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The drink used in such toasting, commonly ale or wine spiced with roasted apples and sugar.
noun
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A festivity characterized by much drinking.
noun
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A salutation or toast given in drinking someone's health or as an expression of goodwill at a festivity.
noun
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The drink used in such toasting, commonly ale or wine spiced with roasted apples and sugar.
noun
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The beverage served during a wassail, especially one made of ale or wine flavoured with spices, sugar, roasted apples, etc.
noun
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A festive or drinking song or glee.
noun
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To toast, to drink to the health of another.

The next morning he much regretted the gusto with which he had wassailed the night before.

verb
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(intransitive) To drink wassail.
verb
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To go from house to house at Christmastime, singing carols.
verb
0
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Other Word Forms

Noun

Singular:
wassail
Plural:
wassails

Origin of wassail

  • Middle English contraction of wæshæil be healthy from Old Norse ves heill ves imperative sing. of vera to be wes-1 in Indo-European roots heill healthy kailo- in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • Middle English contraction of wæshæil be healthy from Old Norse ves heill ves imperative sing. of vera to be wes-1 in Indo-European roots heill healthy kailo- in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • From Old Norse ves heill (“be healthy!"), from the imperative of vesa (“to be") + heill (“healthy"). The earliest documented use of the term is from 1275.

    From Wiktionary

Wassail Sentence Examples

  • The word wassail is from the Anglo Saxon word " wes hal " meaning " good health " or " be whole " .

  • The origins of the tradition of using a wassail bowl are thought to stem from celebrations of the solstice by Celtic people.

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Words near wassail in the Dictionary