roister

American  

[roi-ster] / ˈrɔɪ stər /

verb (used without object)

1. to act in a swaggering, boisterous, or uproarious manner.

2. to revel noisily or without restraint.

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roister British  

/ ˈrɔɪstə /

verb

1. to engage in noisy merrymaking; revel

2. to brag, bluster, or swagger

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Other Word Forms

• roisterer noun
• roisterous adjective
• roisterously adverb

Etymology

Origin of roister

First recorded in 1545–55; verb use of roister (noun), from Middle French ru(i)stre “ruffian, boor,” variant of ru(i)ste “rural” ( rustic )

Explanation

To roister is to celebrate in a noisy way with other people. You'll be tempted to roister with friends after your favorite team wins the Super Bowl, but keep it down once it's late and people are sleeping! Hooting and hollering after a sports victory is a good example of roistering. It's wild, loud, celebratory fun. If you've been in a college town when the basketball team wins the championship, you've probably seen throngs of students roister in the streets. This kind of boisterous revelry can turn obnoxious or even destructive, and the word's root suggests this; roister is from the Old French ruiste, "boorish or uncouth," from the Latin rusticus, "rough or coarse."

Example Sentences

One youngster began to roister noisily before the President.

From Time Magazine Archive

Thus a problem has been set before doting Princess Victoria�where shall her Zubkov now roister, tweak, and make champagne-rain?

From Time Magazine Archive

Within, Fly members sat down to roister together.

From Time Magazine Archive

Undaunted by the fact that the Bastille has just fallen, a band of gallants and their lady friends come to roister in the tavern of one Prosp�re.

From Time Magazine Archive

The scollop and oyster Their two shells did roister, Like castanets flitting; While limpets moved clearly, And rocks very nearly With laughter were splitting.

From The Lilac Fairy Book by Ford, H. J. (Henry Justice)