feast

[ feest ]
See synonyms for: feastfeasting on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. any rich or abundant meal: The steak dinner was a feast.

  2. a sumptuous entertainment or meal for many guests: a wedding feast.

  1. something highly agreeable: The Rembrandt exhibition was a feast for the eyes.

  2. a periodical celebration or time of celebration, usually of a religious nature, commemorating an event, person, etc.: Every year, in September, the townspeople have a feast in honor of their patron saint.

verb (used without object)
  1. to have or partake of a feast; eat sumptuously.

  2. to dwell with gratification or delight, as on a picture or view.

verb (used with object)
  1. to provide or entertain with a feast.

Idioms about feast

  1. feast one's eyes, to gaze with great joy, admiration, or relish: to feast one's eyes on the Grand Canyon.

Origin of feast

1
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English feste, from Old French, from Latin fēsta, neuter plural (reinterpteted as feminine singular noun in Vulgar Latin ) of fēstus “festal, festive,” equivalent to fēs- (akin to fair2) + -tus adjective suffix

synonym study For feast

2. Feast, banquet imply large social events, with an abundance of food. A feast is a meal with a plenteous supply of food and drink for a large company: to provide a feast for all company employees. A banquet is an elaborate feast for a formal and ceremonious occasion: the main speaker at a banquet.

Other words from feast

  • feaster, noun
  • feastless, adjective
  • outfeast, verb (used with object)
  • o·ver·feast, verb
  • pre·feast, noun
  • un·feast·ed, adjective

Words Nearby feast

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use feast in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for feast

feast

/ (fiːst) /


noun
  1. a large and sumptuous meal, usually given as an entertainment for several people

  2. a periodic religious celebration

  1. something extremely pleasing or sumptuous: a feast for the eyes

  2. movable feast a festival or other event of variable date

verb
  1. (intr)

    • to eat a feast

    • (usually foll by on) to enjoy the eating (of), as if feasting: to feast on cakes

  2. (tr) to give a feast to

  1. (intr foll by on) to take great delight (in): to feast on beautiful paintings

  2. (tr) to regale or delight: to feast one's mind or one's eyes

Origin of feast

1
C13: from Old French feste, from Latin festa, neuter plural (later assumed to be feminine singular) of festus joyful; related to Latin fānum temple, fēriae festivals

Derived forms of feast

  • feaster, noun

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