English

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) enPR: rĕvʹ-əl, IPA^(key): /ˈɹɛv.əl/
• Rhymes: -ɛvəl

Noun

revel ‎(plural revels)

1. An instance of merrymaking; a celebration.
   • William Shakespeare (c.1564–1616)

     Our revels now are ended.

   • 1907, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, “chapter II”, in The Younger Set (Project Gutenberg; EBook #14852), New York, N.Y.: A. L. Burt Company, published 1 February 2005 (Project Gutenberg version), OCLC 4241346:

     "I ought to arise and go forth with timbrels and with dances; but, do you know, I am not inclined to revels? There has been a little—just a very little bit too much festivity so far …. Not that I don't adore dinners and gossip and dances; not that I do not love to pervade bright and glittering places. […]"

Derived terms

• revelry

Translations

Verb

revel ‎(third-person singular simple present revels, present participle revelling or reveling, simple past and past participle revelled or reveled)

1. To make merry; to have a gay, lively time.
   • 1610, Alexander Cooke, Pope Joane, in William Oldys, editor, The Harleian Miscellany: or, A Collection of Scarce, Curious, and Entertaining Pamphlets and Tracts, as well in Manuscript as in Print, Found in the Late Earl of Oxford's Library: Interspersed with Historical, Political, and Critical Notes: With a Table of the Contents, and an Alphabetical Index, volume IV, London: Printed for T[homas] Osborne, in Gray's-Inn, 1744, OCLC 5325177; republished as John Maltham, editor, The Harleian Miscellany; or, A Collection of Scarce, Curious, and Entertaining Pamphlets and Tracts, as well in Manuscript as in Print, Found in the Late Earl of Oxford's Library, Interspersed with Historical, Political, and Critical Notes, volume IV, London: Printed for R. Dutton, 1808–1811, OCLC 30776079, page 95:

     If there bee any lasie fellow, any that cannot away with worke, any that would wallow in pleasures, hee is hastie to be priested. And when hee is made one, and has gotten a benefice, he consorts with his neighbour priests, who are altogether given to pleasures; and then both hee, and they, live, not like Christians, but like epicures; drinking, eating, feasting, and revelling, till the cow come home, as the saying is.

2. To take delight in.
   • 1997, The Art of Practicing, a Guide to Making Music from the Heart

     Slowing down doesn't have to feel like holding back. It can be an opportunity to revel in sounds and sensations, to not be so concerned about where we are going but to enjoy the moment and become comfortable where we are.

Synonyms

• (make merry): carouse, celebrate

Derived terms

• reveller/reveler

Translations

Etymology 2

Latin revellere; re- + vellere ‎(“to pluck, pull”).

Verb

revel ‎(third-person singular simple present revels, present participle revelling, simple past and past participle revelled)

1. (obsolete) To draw back; to retract.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Harvey to this entry?)

Noun

revel ‎(plural revels)

1. (architecture) Alternative form of reveal

Anagrams

• elver
• lever