wassail
noun
a salutation wishing health to a person, used in England in early times when presenting a cup of drink or when drinking to the person.
wassails
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pluralof wassail.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
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present tense formof wassail (3rd person singular).present tense
Used to describe things happening now or regularly.
wassailnouna salutation wishing health to a person, used in England in early times when presenting a cup of drink or when drinking to the person.
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.
In January I attend one of Kent’s growing number of wassails, a half-pagan, half-Christian ceremony in which an apple tree is fed a tribute of cider to encourage a good harvest later in the year.
From The Guardian ● Feb. 9, 2020
The fight against evil spirits continues the following month in the orchards of southern England, where Apple wassails, or Apple Howling ceremonies, are common.
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2014
"Whilst youthful sports are lasting, to feasting turn our fasting: With revels and with wassails make grief and care our vassals, Fa-la!"
From Historic Girls by Elbridge Streeter Brooks
At such wassails the presiding chief sits at the apex of an oval.
From The Belief in Immortality and the Worship of the Dead Vol. II by Sir James George Frazer
Thou shalt have possets, wassails fine, Not made of ale, but spicèd wine; To make thy maids and self free mirth, All sitting near the glitt'ring hearth.
From Six Centuries of English Poetry Tennyson to Chaucer by James Baldwin
