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Webster 1913 Edition

Wassail

Was′sail

,
Noun.
[AS.
wes hāl
(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
waes 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
.
Shakespeare
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.

Was′sail

,
Adj.
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.

Was′sail

,
Verb.
I.
To hold a wassail; to carouse.
Spending all the day, and good part of the night, in dancing, caroling, and
wassailing
.
Sir P. Sidney.

Webster 1828 Edition

Wassail

WASSAIL

,
Noun.
1.
A liquor made of apples, sugar and ale, formerly much used by English good fellows.
2.
A drunken bout.
3.
A merry song. [This word in unknown in America.]

WASSAIL

,
Verb.
I.
To hold a merry drinking meeting.

Definition 2024

wassail

wassail

English

Noun

wassail ‎(plural wassails)

  1. A toast to health, usually at a festival.
  2. The beverage served during a wassail, especially one made of ale or wine flavoured with spices, sugar, roasted apples, etc.
  3. Revelry.
    • Sir Walter Scott
      In merry wassail he […] peals his loud song.
    • Prescott
      The victors abandoned themselves to feasting and wassail.
  4. A festive or drinking song or glee.
    • Beaumont and Fletcher
      Have you done your wassail? 'Tis a handsome, drowsy ditty, I'll assure you.

Translations

Verb

wassail ‎(third-person singular simple present wassails, present participle wassailing, simple past and past participle wassailed)

  1. (transitive) 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.
  2. (intransitive) To drink wassail.
  3. To go from house to house at Christmastime, singing carols.
    • 2002, Christopher Morley, "Culture: Children carry a torch for carol king; John Joubert will be 75 next month", The Birmingham Post, 21 February 2002:
      Schoolchildren around the globe have gleefully sung Torches at Christmastime for half a century. Many of those in Birmingham have wassailed the carol at the front door of a cosy Victorian house in Moseley, unaware that behind that front door lives its composer.
    • 2006, Ronald M. Clancy, Best-Loved Christmas Carols: The Stories Behind Twenty-Five Yuletide Favorites, Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. (2006), ISBN 9781402741876, page 81:
      During the Christmas season, carolers traveled from house to house, bringing good wishes and carrying an empty bowl. The master of the house being wassailed was expected to fill the bowl with hot, spicy ale.
    • 2010, Burton Cole, "Holiday mysteries to roast in your wassail", Tribune Chronicle, 26 December 2010:
      "I wish someone would come to my house and wassail!" Jessica P. of Howland said.

Synonyms

  • (go from house to house, singing carols): carol

See also

Etymology

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.

Pronunciation

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