verb
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of carouse
First recorded in 1550–60; variant of garouse, from German gar aus (trinken) “(to drink) fully out,” i.e., “to drain the cup”; compare Middle French carous, from dialectal German gar ūs
Explanation
Carouse means to drink a lot of alcohol and behave in a loud, exuberant way. The neighbors will not appreciate it if you and your friends carouse in the backyard until dawn. Carouse comes from the German gar aus trinken meaning “all out," “drain the cup” or “drink up.” The English adopted the word in the 16th century, and it came to mean “sitting around drinking until closing time.” A noisy drinking party is sometimes called a carouse.
Vocabulary lists containing carouse
300 Most Difficult "SAT" Words
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Tragedy of Macbeth
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"Macbeth" Vocabulary from Act II
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
We've compiled our most Oktoberfest-approved recipes for those who want to carouse from home.
From Salon • Aug. 25, 2022
In order to define gin, however, or to pronounce on its universal impact, it’s not enough to bemoan the excesses of the past or to carouse amid the wares of the present.
From The New Yorker • Dec. 2, 2019
In danger of flunking out of history class, they stumble on a time machine that lets them carouse with Napoleon, Joan of Arc and more; George Carlin plays their time travel guide.
From New York Times • Apr. 20, 2018
Aspiring comics kvetch and carouse in 1970s L.A. in the new drama “I’m Dying Up Here.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 2, 2017
Let them play poker and carouse all they wanted, all Jean Louise wanted was for the old house to be taken care of.
From "Go Set a Watchman: A Novel" by Harper Lee
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
